KKRN FM, is a volunteer-based, listener-supported radio station fostering positive social change and healthy communities by entertaining, informing and educating through diverse music, culture, news, and public affairs programming.

Open with four pandemic related songs with deep meaning-Close with a song that led to the most emotionally compelling performance in Grammy history by Eric Clapton

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Part one - This week I would like to open with some pandemic  related music that has had deep meaning to me during these trying times.  I will provide a few of the artist’s comments and leave the rest to you to come up with your own interpretations of these lyrics.

Let’s start with Laila Biali a Canadian jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, and bandleader.   She is the 2019 Juno award winner and has won numerous other awards for her music. As a side musician, she has worked with Chris Botti, Sting, Dave Brubeck, Esperanza Spalding, Paula Cole, and Suzanne Vega. Her sound melds bright contemporary jazz with modern pop and the Great American songbook. Recently she has been hard at work on what she calls quarantunes performances.

On March 27th she released the album Out Of The Dust. First played this week, her song from that album, Revival  is chock full of positive spirit. It is a funky, high energy anthem that invites the listener to get into the action. Biali’s top notch vocal chops provide the positive, come-together messaging we need in these challenging times. 

Biali states “My song, ‘Revival,’ is about rising up out of difficult circumstances, like the ones we find ourselves in now. When we feel like the world around us is caving in, we come together—even if only virtually—and join forces to fight for the good we believe in.” 

Leonard Cohen was a Canadian singer, songwriter, poet, and novelist. He is best known for his song Hallelujah. September 18th Laila Biali, long an admirer of Cohen, released a cover of his song Anthem in remembrance of what would have been his 86th birthday. This is a relevant song with a message for the times we find ourselves in. I especially love the lyrics from the poetic side of Cohen “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That is where the light gets in. Second song,  Laila Biali with that cover of Leonard Cohen’s Anthem.

I have another song with pandemic meaning. Trumpeter, singer, songwriter, and producer Johnny Britt released an album with a cool title Mo Jazzin on August 14th. Britt has made a name for himself in support of acts like the Temptations and Josh Groban. He served as the musical director for the Temptations and wrote several songs for the group. He was also a performer for the group Impromp2. From his new album I am playing Hold On.

In keeping with our theme for this week, the next song played is from guitarist Norman Brown’s August release of the album Heart To Heart, Keep The Faith.

Part two - Billboard top three songs in Smooth Jazz for this week played. 

Part three - new releases from this year continued - Euge Groove & Maysa, Nils, Brian Culbertson, and Jimmy Heath.

Second hour

Part one - turn up the quiet time with five uninterrupted songs in a row.

Part two - favorite songs from the past years of Smooth Jazz.

Part three - classic among classics segment - Acoustic Alchemy

Part four - great memories in music segment -  Eric Clapton with his sad and very touching song Tears From Heaven.

Thank you for your support of this program and KKRN.

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