Line-up Announced for 2020 KCRW’S World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl

LINE-UP ANNOUNCED FOR 2020 KCRW’S WORLD FESTIVAL AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Santa Monica, CA (February 18, 2020) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced the line-up for the 2020 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. The successful collaboration between KCRW and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, now in its 21st year, launches Sunday, June 28, at 7PM.

KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl embodies the eclectic musical spirit of both organizations by featuring artists from a wide array of genres. Hundreds of artists have performed at the iconic venue since the inaugural season including, A.R. Rahman, Adele, Arcade Fire, Ben Harper, Bon Iver, Caetano Veloso, Cesaria Evora, Café Tacvba, David Byrne, Erykah Badu, Femi Kuti, Gary Clark Jr. Goldfrapp, Grace Jones, Hot Chip, Hugh Masekela, Janelle Monae, Kraftwerk, Lauryn Hill, M83, Massive Attack, Miriam Makeba, Natalia Lafourcade, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, Os Mutantes, Ray LaMontagne, Robyn, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Sade, Santigold, Solange, Spoon, St. Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, The Flaming Lips, The Pixies, Toro y Moi, Underworld, Willie Nelson, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Yo Yo Ma, Yola, Yoko Ono, Zero 7 with Sia, Ziggy Marley, and many more.

2020 KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl

Sunday, June 28, at 7PM
Andrew Bird with Calexico and Iron & Wine
Mandolin Orange

Singer, songwriter, and violinist Andrew Bird brings his literary touch to classically informed folk music, leading to a nomination at the 2020 Grammy® Awards for his new album My Finest Work Yet. Grammy®-nominated Calexico and Iron & Wine bring dusky Southwestern textures to their stunning live show. Chapel Hill folk duo Mandolin Orange sets the mood at the top of the evening.

Sunday, July 5, at 7PM
Flying Lotus with Orchestra
Kamasi Washington with Orchestra
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Thomas Wilkins, conductor

NME calls producer Flying Lotus “a master at shifting tone [who] knows how to take listeners on an exhilarating journey.” Saxophone virtuoso Kamasi Washington introduced hip-hop audiences to the lineage of spiritual jazz and hard bop. Both artists team up with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra for a big night at the Bowl.

Sunday, July 19, at 7PM
Maxwell with Orchestra
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra
Thomas Wilkins

Three-time Grammy®-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Maxwell hooks his supple and soulful R&B to the elegant backing of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and his veteran touring band, with new arrangements of songs from throughout his three-decade career.

Sunday, August 2, at 7PM
Reggae Night XIX
Rebelution
Toots & The Maytals
Jah 9
DJ Mackle

Our annual reggae celebration returns for its nineteenth edition, with Southern California reggae-rockers Rebelution leading the way alongside the legendary Toots & The Maytals, Jah9 and DJ Mackle.

Sunday, August 9, at 7PM
Polo & Pan
Parcels
Poolside
Lido Pimienta

Hailed by The New Yorker as “funky but suave, uniquely fun…a blend the invites both surprise and enchantment,” Polo & Pan join us for one breezy, starry summer night with Parcels, Poolside, and Lido Pimienta.

Sunday, August 16, at 7PM
Brittany Howard
Thundercat
Georgia Anne Muldrow

The Alabama Shakes singer paints a soulful portrait of life in 21st-century America in all its complexities, while Thundercat and Georgia Anne Muldrow expand the horizons of jazz, soul, and R&B with their experimental visions.

Tickets for the Hollywood Bowl 2019 summer season will be available online at HollywoodBowl.com or via phone at 323.850.2000 on the following dates:

Subscriptions currently on sale.
“Five or More” packages will be available March 17, 2020.
The Hollywood Bowl Box Office opens for single ticket sales May 3, 2020.

About KCRW

KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.

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KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Welcomes Jenny Lewis for Special Valentine’s Day DJ Set on Morning Becomes Eclectic

KCRW Welcomes Jenny Lewis for Special Valentine’s Day

DJ Set on Morning Becomes Eclectic

Friday, February 14, at 10:00 AM

Santa Monica, CA (February 13, 2020) – KCRW welcomes Jenny Lewis into the studio for a special Valentine’s Day guest DJ set tomorrow, Friday, February 14, at 10:00 AM, airing on the station’s flagship music program, Morning Becomes Eclectic. Lewis’ method for choosing this particular set of songs was “to find unironic, beautiful love songs – some of them heartbreaking, but all of them true.” Lewis’ guest DJ set features artists such as Neil Young, JJ Cale, Joni Mitchell, Cass McCombs, Emmylou Harris, Johnnie Frierson, and Don Williams. She also imparts some pro tips on how to keep a romance alive, and the wisdom to try and remember to love yourself. Tune in live to KCRW 89.9 at 10:00 AM, stream anytime for your loved one at kcrw.com, or check out her extended Valentine’s Day playlist on Spotify.

Jenny Lewis recently announced a nationwide tour in support of Harry Styles including three Los Angeles performances at The Forum on September 2, 3, & 6. She released her fourth and most critically acclaimed solo album to date, On The Line (Warner Records), on March 22, 2019. Recorded at the distinguished Capitol Studios, the album features a who’s who of supporting players including Beck, Don Was, Benmont Tench, Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr, Beck sidemen Jason Falkner and Smokey Hormel among others. On The Line continues to generate rave reviews, with Vulture declaring it her “best work to date,” and top spots on Best of 2019 lists including Rolling Stone, NPR, Entertainment Weekly, USA Today and AV Club. A culmination of Lewis’ prolific 20+ year career, On The Line follows her three previous solo albums—2014’s The Voyager (Warner Records), 2008’s Acid Tongue (Warner Records) and her 2006 solo debut Rabbit Fur Coat (Team Love)—as well as her universally-loved work in Rilo Kiley and side projects Nice As Fuck, Jenny & Johnny, and the Postal Service.

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Berlin, Germany, and worldwide via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, or online at kcrw.com.
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KCRW Announces Anne Litt as Next Program Director of Music

KCRW Announces Anne Litt as Next
Program Director of Music

Search for Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic Intensifies

Santa Monica, CA (January 23, 2020) – KCRW announces today Anne Litt as Program Director of Music – the fifth for the station – with past Music Directors being Jason Bentley, Nic Harcourt, Chris Douridas, and Tom Schnabel.

Litt joins two additional, key executive hires at the influential NPR affiliate with Paul Bennun recently tapped as Chief Content Officer, and Drew Tewksbury as Director of Digital Content.

“I’m thrilled to have Anne Litt as the new Program Director of Music. Anne has been finding and cultivating talent inside and outside KCRW for years. She’s primed to move KCRW and our signature music programming into the next era,” says KCRW President, Jennifer Ferro. “Anne joins Paul and Drew to round out KCRW’s new content leadership team. Along with our incredible staff, we are positioned to focus squarely on the station’s future and deliver excellence across all of our platforms – in music and talk programming – through a wide range of personalities that have made KCRW such a beloved institution.”

“After 20 years on the air at KCRW, having the opportunity to map out our future in this leadership role, at the station I’ve known, respected and valued above all others, is the honor of a lifetime,” stated Litt. “This is a pivotal moment for KCRW to redefine the meaning of ‘radio’ in the 21st century.”

The search for the next host of the station’s flagship music show, Morning Becomes Eclectic will now intensify. Details of the MBE host position will be posted here in the coming days. Litt will host MBE until the position is filled.

ANNE LITT
Growing up in Richmond, VA, Anne Litt became a lifelong radio fan. Her first on-air experience was in 1986, at the forefront of the alt-rock revolution, at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill’s award-winning radio station, WXYC. After graduating from UNC in 1988, she joined the pioneering independent label, Mammoth Records, and was instrumental in guiding the careers of such seminal alternative stars as Juliana Hatfield, the Blake Babies, and The Sidewinders. In 1991, Litt moved to Los Angeles to explore her obsession with the SoCal music scene, and continue her career in – and be at the epicenter of – the music industry. In 1996, she started her dream job as a DJ for KCRW working various shifts until 2000 when she was tapped to host the weekend afternoon show. Litt’s signature mix of progressive pop, global rhythms and modern sounds fit right into the KCRW aesthetic, which was nationally recognized as one of the most eclectic, adventurous radio stations in the country. During her KCRW tenure, Litt has hosted countless music events including KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl, First Fridays at the Museum of Natural History and KCRW’s Summer Nights. She has emceed showcases at SXSW and Sundance Film Festivals and interviewed dozens (if not hundreds) of musicians including: Beck, Yola, Nick Waterhouse, Gary Clark Jr., Patti Smith, Ty Segall, The National, Margo Price, Norah Jones, Tom Jones, Trombone Shorty, and Spoon, to name a few. In addition to helping launch the careers of countless developing artists, Litt has also been instrumental in ushering in the next generation of stellar DJs. Litt is also an accomplished music supervisor with credits that include the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the Oscar-winning film “Little Miss Sunshine,” and campaigns for Apple, Volkswagen, and Acura. Notably, Litt placed the music in all six spots of the NBA’s legendary “There’s Only One” split-screen campaign featuring ahead-of-the-curve artists, and the unprecedented commercial use of a song by Radiohead. Litt lives in Hollywood with her husband and son. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Pablove Foundation, an organization that helps kids with cancer live a love-filled life today, and a cancer-free life tomorrow. She knows of no activity more satisfying, in this world, than discovering and sharing new music — unless it’s sailing or skiing with her son… or perhaps that time Josh Groban wrote a song about her.

PAUL BENNUN
Paul Bennun is an executive with several decades experience working creatively and strategically at the junction of content and technology. Throughout his professional life, he has been a leading practitioner and thinker in radio, audio, and interactive entertainment. Co-founder of the UK’s largest radio production company, Somethin’ Else, as Chief Creative Officer he led the organization to become the BBC’s primary supplier of independently-made radio, including many of the Corporation’s most important properties across spoken word and music. Somethin’ Else was also the leading provider of outsourced social media, interactive content and video games to the BBC. In 2013 and 2015, Somethin’ Else received BAFTA’s “Production Company of the Year” award for its work across radio, TV and games. Paul started working in radio at the age of 13 in his hometown of Exeter, eventually presenting shows, and acting as the weekend traffic reporter at age 15 on Devonair, the local independent radio station. He then became a producer on various London radio stations while completing his undergraduate degree. On founding Somethin’ Else, Paul immediately started exploring the junction of sound and interactive media, directing the UK version of a legendary game called You Don’t Know Jack, which received two BAFTA nominations in 1998, the same year he received a Sony Radio Academy Award for his first series for the BBC (a two-part show about the history of funk music). During this period he co-authored a UK government report on the future of music and podcasting, became a board advisor to the BBC and the UK’s advertising industry, and presented radio shows for the BBC. On moving to the U.S.A. in 2016, Paul founded a data-driven social storytelling company, Storyblaster. He is also on the board of the Metabrainz Foundation, the music industry’s leading provider of open-sourced music metadata, powering Spotify, Amazon and most other major streaming music providers. Paul lives in Los Feliz, is a bread baker, loves to cook and owns two Shiba Inus.

DREW TEWKSBURY
Drew Tewksbury is a L.A.-based journalist, editor, and multimedia producer. As an editor at the Los Angeles Times, Tewksbury helmed coverage in the arts and books sections, where he spearheaded literary criticism and steered coverage of L.A.’s diverse creative communities. In 2018, Tewksbury was the contributing editor at GOOD Media, where he built a team of international freelancers to highlight innovators, report on global culture, and showcase inspiring people who are working to improve the world. Previously, Tewksbury was the managing editor of LA Weekly before the publication’s sale in 2017, where he oversaw the section editors, edited long-form cover stories, developed special issues, and spearheaded video production, which earned him and his team an Association of Alternative Newsmedia award for Documentary Profiles. From 2012-2016, Tewksbury was the managing editor/producer for KCETLink’s Artbound, an online arts journalism publication and Emmy-winning television show providing in-depth arts & culture coverage across Southern California. He also assisted in the development of article-based documentary videos, as part of Artbound’s Emmy-winning TV show which aired on KCETLink public media. In addition, he helped produce the live music performance show Artbound Presents: Studio A. An accomplished journalist, Tewksbury has written and reported feature articles or radio pieces for: National Public Radio (NPR), Time, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, L.A Weekly, KPCC, NME (U.K), Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Flaunt, and SWINDLE Magazine, among other publications. Tewksbury wrote and voiced regular on-air music review segments, “New Music Tuesday,” for Southern California Public Radio’s Take Two and the Madeleine Brand Show. As an educator, Tewksbury has taught Entertainment Journalism at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where he went to graduate school. He has also taught Cultural Journalism at Loyola Marymount University. Tewksbury lives in the foothills of Echo Park — where ghostly coyotes roam at dusk and fireworks light up the summer sky — and spends too much time at the Cactus Store. He is a Gemini.

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Station Announcement

Monica Shilling Named Board Chair of KCRW Foundation Saree Kayne Joins Lee Rierson as Vice Chair

Monica Shilling Named Board Chair of KCRW Foundation

Saree Kayne Joins Lee Rierson as Vice Chair

(Santa Monica, CA—December 19, 2019)The KCRW Foundation is pleased to announce that the KCRW Foundation’s Board of Directors elected Monica Shilling as the new board chair effective December 9, 2019. She succeeds Matt Kline who served as Board Chair since 2017, and will continue to remain on the full Board of Directors. Additionally, the KCRW Foundation’s Board of Directors re-elected Lee Rierson as Vice Chair, elected Saree Kayne as an additional Vice Chair, Karyn Williams as Treasurer and Emily Gold Mears as Secretary.

The KCRW Foundation provides financial support and other resources to ensure that KCRW can maintain and expand its mission consistent with economic, social and technological developments. The KCRW Foundation Board of Directors is comprised of committed business and community leaders who place KCRW at the top of their philanthropic agenda and help the station fulfill its mission.

“KCRW is lucky to have a board of passionate fans and strategic thinkers,” said KCRW President Jennifer Ferro. “I couldn’t be more inspired to have Monica Shilling take on the leadership role as Chair of the KCRW Foundation. We have relied on her expertise and guidance for a number of years. She is a powerhouse. She is the perfect person to take the baton from the extraordinary Matt Kline and from Michael Fleming before him.”

“I’ve loved KCRW since 1995, when I arrived in Los Angeles and found this incredible station that has inspired me and so many others over the years,” said Monica Shilling. “This is a tremendous honor and I’m humbled by my fellow board members’ confidence in me. I look forward to working with our dynamic President, Jennifer Ferro, and fantastic staff, my board colleagues, including Vice Chairs Lee Rierson and Saree Kayne, and our friends at Santa Monica College to continue to deliver KCRW’s unique mix of content.”

Monica Shilling first joined the KCRW Foundation board in 2012, and is a transactional partner in the Los Angeles office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She has a broad corporate and securities law practice that focuses on advising asset managers, private equity funds, and their portfolio companies on the full lifecycle of transactions. She also represents public companies, financial advisors, investment banks and issuers. She is experienced with mergers and acquisitions, capital markets offerings, leveraged buyouts, general corporate law and corporate governance, securities laws, and NYSE/Nasdaq compliance. She also advises companies on the establishment of business development companies (BDCs) and other private and public equity vehicles. Monica is among a relatively limited number of attorneys in the country who actively represent BDCs.

Monica was honored by Chambers USA at its 2012 Women in Law Awards as the Up & Coming Corporate/M&A Lawyer of the Year and was recognized by the Daily Journal as one of the top 25 transactional women lawyers in California in its 2011 and 2014 TopWomen Lawyers issues.

KCRW, licensed to Santa Monica College, is a publicly funded non-profit media organization whose goal is to create and disseminate news and cultural programming that informs, inspires, and stimulates. By creating an ongoing dialogue with its audience, KCRW strives to make an impact not only on the cultural conversation of Southern California, but of the United States and the world.

The KCRW Foundation Board includes:
Monica Shilling, Chair
Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Lee Rierson, Vice Chair
Head of Business & Operations, wiip

Saree Kayne, Vice Chair
Doctoral Candidate, Stanford University

Karyn L. Williams, Treasurer
CEO, Hightree Group

Emily Gold Mears, Secretary
President, North Star Drive Investments, LLC

Jennifer Ferro, President
President, KCRW

Norris Bishton, Jr.
President, NOARUS Auto Group/Partner, Bishton Gubernick

Jay Borzi
Senior Managing Director, Eastdil Secured

Donald de Brier
Former Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Occidental Petroleum Corporation

Shahram Delijani
Partner, Delson Investment Company/Partner, Broadway Theater Group

Michael Fleming
Executive Director, David Bohnett Foundation

Susan Genco
Co-President, Azoff MSG

Donald Girard
Senior Director, Government Relations and Institutional Communications, Santa Monica College

Paul Haas
Agent/Partner, WME Entertainment

Mike Harmon
Managing Partner, Gaviota Advisors, LLC

Julia Huang
CEO, Group Intertrend

Matt Kline
Partner, O’Melveny & Myers LLP

Heather Mingst
Philanthropist and Community Volunteer

Silas Myers
CEO, Mar Vista Investment Partners

Rob Rader
General Counsel, OVATION

Deborah S. Ramo
Senior Communications Advisor

Karen Roth
President, NPR Berlin

George Strompolos
Founder and CEO, Fullscreen

Kevin Systrom
Co-Founder of Instagram

Akio Tagawa
Principal, Linea Solutions

Tom Wertheimer
Media Consultant

Edward A. Woods
Partner Emeritus, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Dylan Yolles
Partner, Capital Group Companies

Emeritus Members:
Stuart Bloomberg
Television Producer

Rod Perth
President and Chief Executive Officer, NATPE

Adele Yellin
President, The Yellin Company

KCRW Foundation Santa Barbara Advisory Board:
Geoff Green
Chair CEO, Santa Barbara City College Foundation

Tricia Backelin
Executive Coach, Consultant to KCRW

Carolyn Butcher
English Professor, Santa Barbara City College

Lou Cannon
Journalist & Author

Vanessa Decker
Entrepreneur

Neil DiPaola
CEO & Managing Partner, Mesa Lane Partners

Mark Funk
Board Member and Financial Consultant

Frederick Janka
Executive Director of Carolyn Glasoe Bailey Foundation

Cassandra Jones-Jorgensen
Contemporary Artist

Mikael Jorgensen
Musician

Alixe Mattingly
Communications Strategist

Joe Medjuck
Film Producer

Graciela Montgomery
HR Consultant to NPR

Tim Owens
Journalist, Educator

Marianne Partridge
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief, The Independent

Phil Pollok
Co-Founder, Anacapa Micro

Scott Reed
President, Music Academy of the West

Starshine Roshell
Journalist & Author

Ken Saxon
Founder & President, Leading From Within

Jarrod Schwartz
Executive Director, Just Communities

Rob Skinner
Chief Innovation Officer, Montecito Bank & Trust

Rachel Kaganoff Stern
Interim CEO at the Junior State of America Foundation

Anne Towbes
Community Leader & Philanthropist

Jonathan Wang
Financial Planner & President, Adsum Foundation

About KCRW

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Press Contact: Jeremy Weinstein
424.538.8878
jeremy.weinstein@kcrw.org

KCRW Music Announcement

John Legend Takes Over KCRW Airwaves for Special Christmas Guest DJ Set

John Legend Takes Over KCRW Airwaves for Special Christmas Guest DJ Set

Tuesday, December 24, at 10AM on Morning Becomes Eclectic

Santa Monica, CA (December 19, 2019) – Superstar John Legend dropped by the KCRW studios to talk with KCRW DJ Eric J. Lawrence about his love for Christmas music. Legend’s conversation and guest DJ set, during which he shares some of his favorite holiday tunes, airs Tuesday, December 24, at 10AM, on the station’s flagship music program, Morning Becomes Eclectic.

“I love Christmas music. l’ve loved it since I was a kid. It’s always been a huge part of our celebration, as a family,” explains Legend. He recalls Christmas Day at his grandmother’s house. After opening gifts and playing football in the yard, the celebration always ended with a gathering around the piano to sing Christmas tunes. To carry on this tradition, Legend released his own Christmas album in 2018 titled, A Legendary Christmas. Recorded with Raphael Saadiq at his studio in North Hollywood A Legendary Christmas includes new, original holiday tunes, and beloved covers of traditional Christmas songs. “It put me in a good mood all last year and made me realize how much of a mood-enhancer Christmas music is.” The album was recently re-released as a deluxe edition featuring four additional tracks.

Legend kicks-off his KCRW mood-enhancing set off with his version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” also featuring Esperanza Spalding. Other songs included in his guest DJ set are Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas,” and Marvin Gaye’s “Purple Snowflakes.”

To hear the full set, be sure to tune in to KCRW on Tuesday, December 24, at 10AM, or stream on demand at your own family celebrations, at kcrw.com.

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About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and Berlin, Germany, via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, and online at kcrw.com.

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KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW Reveals Best of 2019

KCRW Reveals Best of 2019; Top 10 Albums, Top 10 Songs, and Best New Artist plus Top Ten Albums of the Decade

Santa Monica, CA (December 5, 2019) – KCRW has revealed its Best of 2019, the coveted list of the year’s Top Ten Albums, Top Ten Songs, and Best New Artist. The annual Best Of recognizes the music and performances that caught KCRW DJs’ attention throughout the year. These artists continually innovate and inspire, while pushing culture forward.

KCRW has also revealed its picks for the Top Ten Albums of the Decade.

Check it all out at the interactive and immersive KCRW Best of 2019 website, including personal picks for the Top Ten Albums of 2019 from each individual KCRW DJ.

KCRW’s Top 10 Albums of 2019

Brittany Howard – Jaime
SAULT – 5
Thom Yorke – ANIMA
Men I Trust – Oncle Jazz
Raphael Saadiq – Jimmy Lee
Michael Kiwanuka – Kiwanuka
Automatic – Signal
Moon Boots – Bimini Road
Angel Olsen – All Mirrors
Helado Negro – This Is How You Smile

KCRW’s Top 10 Songs of 2019

Yola – “Faraway Look”
Lizzo – “Juice”
Karen O & Danger Mouse – “Turn The Light”
Tame Impala – “Patience”
Sudan Archives – “Confessions”
Amber Mark – “What If”
Hot Chip – “Hungry Child”
Jidenna – “Sufi Woman”
Billie Eilish – “bad guy”
Anderson .Paak – “Twilight”

2019 Best New Artist – Black Pumas

“From their incredible performance on Morning Becomes Eclectic, to headlining our Summer Nights series at KCRW HQ (along with sold-out and jam-packed houses all over LA), it’s obvious that Black Pumas’ infectious mix of funk, soul and bluesy-influenced rock has emerged as a crowd favorite,” stated KCRW DJ Raul Campos. “Their self-titled gem of an album flawlessly blends raw and uninhibited grooves with heartfelt, and even at times, gut-wrenching vocals. The powerful journey bobs and weaves through themes of the struggles, and tribulations of life, to an uplifting vision of what humanity can be.”

As KCRW’s 2019 pick for Best New Artist, Black Pumas join Rosalía, Anderson .Paak, and Tom Misch, who have also received this distinguished KCRW endorsement in recent years.

ALBUMS OF THE DECADE (in alphabetical order)

Adele – 21
Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color
Anderson .Paak – Malibu
Frank Ocean – Blonde
Kamasi Washington – The Epic
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
Solange – A Seat at the Table
Tame Impala – Currents
The War On Drugs – Lost in the Dream

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About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs. We are driven by the spirit of LA and deliver in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and Berlin, Germany, via the KCRW-developed smart phone app, and online at kcrw.com.

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Events

KCRW Presents Broken Record Live: Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Flea

KCRW Presents Broken Record Live: Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Flea

Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 8PM, at the Palace Theatre

KCRW Member Pre-Sale: Today, October 8, at 10AM PDT
Public On-Sale: Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT

SANTA MONICA, CA (October 8, 2019) – KCRW presents Broken Record Live featuring podcast host and bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Flea, co-founding member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and co-founder of The Silverlake Conservatory of Music, one-night only, Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 8PM, at the Palace Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.

For the first-ever live version of the popular podcast, Malcolm Gladwell and Flea discuss his new memoir, Acid for the Children, to be released on November 5, 2019, by Grand Central Publishing. Malcolm and Flea will journey through the rock star’s childhood love of jazz, punk, and funk, what it was like working with Rick Rubin on the classic Red Hot Chilli Peppers albums of the ’90s and ’00s, how he became the signature rock bassist, and other riveting topics.

Tickets go on-sale to KCRW members today, Tuesday, October 8, at 10AM PDT with the public on-sale starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT. A limited number of “Golden Circle” tickets will be available. “Golden Circle” tickets are the best seats in the house, and include a copy of Flea’s new memoir, Acid for the Children, as well as an opportunity to hang with Flea and Malcolm at a post-show meet and greet.

For more information and to purchase tickets please visit: kcrw.com/brokenrecordlive

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

KCRW Presents: Broken Record Live
Malcolm Gladwell in conversation with Flea
Wednesday, November 13, at 8PM

Palace Theatre
630 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014

On Sale Dates:
Tuesday, October 8, at 10 AM PDT – Member Pre-sale (15% off for 24 hours, excluding “Golden Circle”)
Wednesday, October 9, at 10AM PDT – Public on-sale

Ticket prices:
$100 – “Golden Circle” includes the best seats in the house, a copy of Flea’s new memoir Acid for the Children, and a post-show meet & greet with Flea and Malcolm Gladwell
$39 – Floor and Mezzanine
$29 – Balcony

About Flea’s Acid for the Children
In his new book, Acid for the Children, Flea, the iconic bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you’d want from an LA street rat turned world famous rock star. Flea takes readers on a deeply personal and revealing tour of his formative years, spanning from Australia to the New York City suburbs to, finally, Los Angeles. Through hilarious anecdotes, poetical meditations, and occasional flights of fantasy, Flea deftly chronicles the experiences that forged him as an artist, a musician, and a young man.

About Broken Record
Pushkin Industries’ popular music interview podcast, Broken Record, is hosted by legendary producer Rick Rubin, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell, former New York Times editor Bruce Headlam, and former NPR producer Justin Richmond. Season three, which premiered October 1st, features brand-new, never-before-heard songs from some of today’s top artists, behind the scenes stories from the buzziest producers in music, and more revealing interviews with singer/songwriters. Season three’s line-up includes a wider array of musical artists and producers such as Jack White & The Raconteurs, Tyler the Creator, Yola, Rex OC, The Black Keys, Andre 3000, Brittany Howard, Jason Isbell, Richard Russell, Wyclef Jean, Kenny Beats, and more. Brokenrecordpodcast.com

About Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell is a journalist, a speaker, and the author of five New York Times bestsellers including The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and David and Goliath. His latest book, Talking to Strangers, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. He is host of the chart-topping podcast Revisionist History and co-host of the popular music podcast, Broken Record. He has also been a staff writer for the New Yorker since 1996 and has been named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People. He is a trustee of the Surgo Foundation and currently serves on the board of the RAND Corporation. Along with Jacob Weisberg, he is co-founder of Pushkin Industries, an audio content production company. Gladwellbooks.com

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KCRW Music Announcement

KCRW to Release Limited-Edition, Double-Vinyl Compilation, Morning Becomes Eclectic: Live from the Basement

Morning Becomes Eclectic: Live from the Basement

KCRW to Release Limited-Edition, Double-Vinyl Compilation Featuring Live Recordings from Vampire Weekend, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Grizzly Bear, Natalia Lafourcade, and Many More

Release commemorating Jason Bentley’s Tenure as Music Director and Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic

kcrw.com/vinyl

Santa Monica, CA (August 19, 2019) – KCRW releases today a limited-edition double-vinyl compilation of curated live performances from Jason Bentley’s tenure as Music Director and host of the station’s flagship music program, Morning Becomes Eclectic. Live session recordings include performances by Cold War Kids, Little Dragon, Beach House, Los Lobos, and many more. The vinyl also features art designed by award-winning graphic designer Lawrence Azzerad from LAD Design.

“Morning Becomes Eclectic: Live from the Basement is a collection of live sessions recorded during my tenure as host,” says Bentley. “At the close of KCRW’s basement era, this compilation – limited to 1000 pressings – is a tribute to all the links in the chain who helped cast radio magic into the ether, and the audience who leaned-in to their radios for incredible moments like these.”

Those that purchase the vinyl will also receive a download card, with all available tracks, separately mastered for optimal digital listening. The release is available to anyone who donates $240 or $20 per month to the member-supported public radio station, and will also include KCRW membership for those that don’t already belong.

To peruse the track list, see live session photography, listen to clips of each recording, and, most importantly to purchase this collectible vinyl, please visit www.kcrw.com/vinyl.

Morning Becomes Eclectic: Live from the Basement
Limited-Edition, Double-Vinyl Compilation

Track List:

DISC ONE, SIDE 1:
1 – Father John Misty: “Real Love Baby”
2 – Ben Gibbard: “Something’s Rattling (Cowpoke)”
3 – Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile: “Continental Breakfast”
4 – Cold War Kids: “First”
5 – Vampire Weekend: “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”

DISC ONE, SIDE 2:
1 – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings: “Stranger to My Happiness”
2 – BADBADNOTGOOD: “Lavender”
3 – Toro y Moi: “Mirage”
4 – Little Dragon: “Pretty Girls”
5 – The xx: “Islands”

DISC TWO, SIDE 1
1 – Iron & Wine: “Thomas County Law”
2 – Agnes Obel: “Mary”
3 – Grizzly Bear: “While You Wait for the Others”
4 – Beach House: “Other People”
5 – Jóhann Jóhannsson: “Odi et Amo”

DISC TWO, SIDE 2:
1 – Khruangbin: “Mr. White”
2 – Los Lobos: “Kiko And The Lavender Moon”
3 – Quantic: “Águas de Sorongo (feat. Thalma De Freitas)”
4 – Natalia Lafourcade: “Tú Si Sabes Quererme”

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Events, KCRW Music Announcement

Line-Up Announced for 2019 Summer Nights at KCRW HQ

KCRW HQ Summer Nights

Featuring Black Pumas, Y La Bamba, Andrew Bird, and KCRW DJs Chris Douridas, Anne Litt, Raul Campos, Anthony Valadez, Valida, and Novena Carmel

Three-concert series is free, all-ages, and outdoors, and takes place in the plaza of KCRW’s new home at Santa Monica College’s CMD Campus

Saturdays: August 3, 10, and 17, at 7PM

Santa Monica, CA (June 25, 2019) – KCRW announces today the talent line-up for the triumphant return of KCRW HQ – three, free, outdoors, and all-ages concerts in the plaza of KCRW’s new home on Santa Monica College’s state-of-the-art CMD Campus. This wildly popular series returns with the highly anticipated Los Angeles headline debut of Black Pumas on August 3, the seamless blend of indie pop, bluegrass and Mexican folk tradition of Y La Bamba on August 10, and the incomparable virtuoso Andrew Bird on August 17. KCRW DJs Anne Litt, Raul Campos, Anthony Valadez, Chris Douridas, Valida, and Novena Carmel will deliver killer DJ sets throughout the series.

KCRW HQ also features fave food trucks, tasty libations, some of LA’s best record vendors, and plenty of summer fun. Also, be sure to check out the free advance film screenings happening right in the courtyard theater!

For more information, please visit: http://www.kcrw.com/summernights

More about the Artists:

Following their ambitious slate of performances during this year’s SXSW, it was clear that Black Pumas — the collaboration between 27-year-old newcomer Eric Burton and Grammy-winning guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada (Grupo Fantasma, Brownout, 2018’s Look At My Soul) — were due for a big 2019. NPR’s Here & Now deemed them “the breakout band of 2019” and KCRW called their sound “Wu-Tang Clan meets James Brown.” Rolling Stone, in naming Black Pumas “One Of The 30 Best Bands We Saw In Austin,” praised Burton’s “tireless, charismatic energy” and said that the band “seemed to tap the collective unease of the national moment.” Their self-titled debut, just released June 21 on ATO Records, was produced by Quesada in his home studio and colored by Burton’s dark imagery and haunting vocals. The album, which The Guardian deemed “perfectly realized” is equally indebted to East Coast hip-hop as it is to classic funk and soul, resulting in a project that is of the moment rather than retro. Black Pumas truly began to make their name with a weekly residency at Austin’s C-Boys that quickly became “the hottest party in town” (Austin-American Statesman), with lines wrapping to see their whip-sharp band and Burton’s “whirlwind of movement and gesture” (Chicago Tribune). What followed was a quick and dirty ascent through the Austin music scene, culminating in a coronation as Best New Band at the 2019 Austin Music Awards. Black Pumas make their Los Angeles headline debut at the KCRW HQ series.

Y La Bamba has been many things, but at the heart of it is singer-songwriter Luz Elena Mendoza’s inquisitive sense of self. Their fifth record, Mujeres, carries on the Portland-based band’s affinity for spiritual contemplation, but goes a step further in telling a story with a full emotional spectrum. The album has been praised across the board from Pitchfork, NY Times and Rolling Stone to The New Yorker, The A.V. Club and more. Billboard named it ‘One of the Best Albums of 2019 (So Far)’ and NPR called the title track, “A battle cry against machismo” and one of the ‘Best Songs of 2018‘ saying, “It’s an indication that Mendoza is becoming a visionary, and that her band continues to intrigue as it evolves.” Mujeres exists in the post-2016 landscape of a national identity crisis, and Mendoza explores what it means to be a Mexican American woman by leading us through places we are afraid to go. It ventures in to the discomfort of the stories we tell ourselves. Those of our past, our futures. We all have these stories somewhere inside of us, but with Y La Bamba, Mendoza forges new narratives from old stories of heritage and family, tracing history while forging modern Chicana feminism. The live set is a powerful quintet fronted by three females blending danceable Latin polyrhythms with powerful vocals and dizzying grooves.

Andrew Bird is an internationally acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, whistler, and songwriter. Bird has recorded and toured extensively worldwide. He has recorded with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, appeared as “Dr. Stringz” on Jack’s Big Music Show, and headlined concerts at Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and festivals worldwide. In recent years, Bird performed as the Whistling Caruso in Disney’s The Muppets movie, scored the FX series Baskets, performed at the New Yorker Festival, and collaborated with inventor Ian Schneller on Sonic Arboretum, an installation that exhibited at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, Boston’s ICA, and the MCA Chicago. Bird has been a featured TED Talks presenter and a New York Times op-ed contributor. Additionally, Bird hosts an ongoing live-streamed series of performances called Live from the Great Room, putting the creative process on display for fans as he performs and converses with friends and collaborators in a candid, intimate setting. More recently, Bird has released a series of site-specific improvisational short films and recordings called Echolocations, recorded in remote and acoustically interesting spaces: a Utah canyon, an abandoned seaside bunker, the middle of the Los Angeles River, and a reverberant stone-covered aqueduct in Lisbon. Bird’s latest album, My Finest Work Yet, was released March 22, 2019 on Loma Vista Recordings.

_________________________

KCRW HQ Summer Nights
1660 Stewart Street
Santa Monica, CA 90404

Free, outdoors and all-ages

Saturday, August 3, at 7pm
Black Pumas + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Raul Campos

Saturday, August 10, at 7pm
Y La Bamba + KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Valida

Saturday, August 17, at 7pm
Andrew Bird + KCRW DJs Chris Douridas + Novena Carmel

Summer Nights is generously sponsored by Universal Pictures, presenting the new feature film Yesterday, in theaters June 28.

_________________________

CHRONOLOGICAL LISTING
KCRW’s 2019 SUMMER NIGHTS
10TH ANNIVERSARY
All concerts are free, open-air and all-ages

Friday, June 28, 7:00 p.m.
CAAM
KCRW DJs Garth Trinidad + Aaron Byrd

Thursday, July 11, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Pavo Pavo + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Dan Wilcox

Saturday, July 13, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Jason Bentley + Garth Trinidad

Thursday, July 18, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
Wild Belle + KCRW DJs Aaron Byrd + Scott Dallavo

Thursday, July 25, 6:30 p.m. (happy hour), 7:30 p.m. (music)
Hammer
The Tracks + KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + José Galván

Saturday, July 27, 7:00 p.m.
POW! WOW! Long Beach
KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Mathieu Schreyer

Thursday, August 1, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ Dan Wilcox

Saturday, August 3, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Black Pumas + KCRW DJs Anne Litt + Raul Campos

Saturday, August 10, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Y La Bamba + KCRW DJs Anthony Valadez + Valida

Saturday, August 10, 8:00 p.m.
Chinatown
KCRW DJs Raul Campos + Mathieu Schreyer

Saturday, August 17, 7:00 p.m.
KCRW HQ
Andrew Bird + KCRW DJs Chris Douridas + Novena Carmel

Wednesday, August 21
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, August 28
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 4
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Thursday, September 5, 7:00 p.m.
Santa Barbara Museum of Contemporary Art (MCASB)
KCRW DJ José Galván

Saturday, September 7, 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Long Beach Buskerfest
KCRW’s Raul Campos, host

Wednesday, September 11
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 18
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Wednesday, September 25
Santa Monica Pier
Talent TBA

Saturday, September 28, 6:00 pm
KCRW’s Summer Nights at Cadence Park, Irvine
KCRW DJs Travis Holcombe + Valida

About KCRW
KCRW creates and curates a unique mix of content centered around music discovery, NPR news, cultural exploration and informed public affairs, driven by the spirit of LA and delivered in innovative ways — on the radio, digitally and in person — to diverse, curious communities around the corner and around the world. A community service of Santa Monica College, KCRW can be found on the air in LA, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Mojave, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, and online at kcrw.com.

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Station Announcement

Jason Bentley to Complete Tenure as KCRW Music Director and Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic

Jason Bentley to Complete Tenure as KCRW Music Director and Host of Morning Becomes Eclectic

Nationwide Search for Replacement Commences

Santa Monica, CA (June 13, 2019) – KCRW announces today that Jason Bentley will complete his ten-year term as KCRW’s Music Director and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic. Bentley’s last show as host of Morning Becomes Eclectic will be August 30, 2019. KCRW will be conducting a nationwide search to find Bentley’s replacement. Bentley will continue to host his popular Saturday-night global electronic mix show, Metropolis.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve this community, working closely with musicians and local arts institutions, and helping shape the sound of the greatest radio station on Earth,” comments Bentley. “Now, I’m excited to explore new directions and make way for KCRW’s continued success.”

“Every Music Director at KCRW has made their lasting mark on KCRW and Jason is no different. His radio-perfect voice and impeccable music taste has inspired so many. Jason’s attention to detail and programming instinct made a true impact here. I know he leaves KCRW in a better place and am excited to see what else he does next,” states KCRW President Jennifer Ferro.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Jason Bentley began his career at KCRW as a volunteer after graduating from Santa Monica High School in 1988, eventually earning a regular weeknight air shift in 1992. In subsequent years, he developed a respected profile in the music industry as an A&R man, concert promoter, and music supervisor for film. In 2008 he became Music Director for KCRW and host of their signature music program Morning Becomes Eclectic —which has served as an early platform for the likes of Adele, Radiohead, Beck, Phoenix, and many more. With guests as varied as Elton John, Jack White, David Lynch, Gustavo Dudamel, and countless live performances from the best bands from the indie music world, Morning Becomes Eclectic has remained a formidable music discovery engine feeding an influential audience in Los Angeles and around the world.

During his tenure at KCRW, Bentley brought his musical aesthetic to the streets of LA, spearheading the station’s acclaimed Summer Nights concert series, including Sound In Focus with the Annenberg Foundation, the annual fan favorite Halloween bash Masquerade, and KCRW’s World Festival at the Hollywood Bowl. His work also extended to public programs at the Hammer Museum, Union Station, Grand Park at City Hall, and Chinatown’s historic central plaza.

As a music supervisor, Bentley’s credits include both The Matrix trilogy and Tron Legacy with Daft Punk. Bentley has appeared as a host and DJ at such renowned cultural events as the Governors Ball – the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ official post-Oscars® celebration, Coachella, The Electric Daisy Carnival, HARD, San Diego’s CRSSD Fest, and Lightning in a Bottle, among others.

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