Playtime with WC Turck

Author Jeanette Watts on Jane Austen and her novel My Dearest Miss Fairfax

Jeanette Watts normally writes historic fiction set in Pittsburgh, but when she had the idea to write Jane Austen Lied to Me on the drive home from the Jane Austen Festival, she found the idea too irresistible to ignore. When she isn't writing, she teaches Vintage ballroom dance and belly dance, sews quilts, costumes, and dolls, plays on the court of a Renaissance festival, and wishes she had more time to read. Her latest, refreshingly innocent, and dare I say soundtrack to a cotillion, novel is My Dearest Miss Fairfax: What Jane Austen's Emma didn't know
  jeanette’s website is JeanetteWatts.com
The music from this piece is available on Youtube:
André Campra - Te Deum per soli, coro e orchestra (1729)
Mozart - Piano Sonata No. 18, K.576 (1789)
Robin Adair 
Weber's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major

Siesta Key-On the Music and the Muse with Grammy-nominated Ray Grant

Our featured Indie Artist is Chicago legend, the storyteller and Grammy nominated Ray Grant, who has just released a new song Siesta Key, which might be his best to date. Think Gordon Lightfoot in a Hawaiian shirt. Ray grant is a Chicagoan born and raised a south side kid from the Back of the Yards neighborhood. He picked up his first guitar as a teenager for $3, and taught himself how to play. His first 1990 album "It's About Time" earned Grant a Grammy nomination in 1991. Not bad for a self-taught kid from a working-class Chicago neighborhood. His website is raygrantchicago.com , and Ray Grant on Facebook. And please don't forget to support programs like Playtime by subscribing. Thank you!

The Art and Craft of Memoir Writing with Author and Professor Eric Charles May

WC Turck's full interview with critically acclaimed author of "Bedrock Faith", Eric Charles May, Associate Professor of Fiction Writing at Columbia College Chicago. Prof. May was a presenter of “How to Get to Meaningful Memoir Material" at the 2022 Let’s Just Write conference, hosted by the Chicago Writer’s association.
His Novel, "Bedrock Faith" was the 2021 One Book, One Chicago selection by the Chicago Public Library, and a 2014 Notable African American Title by Publisher’s Weekly.  His website is: ericcharlesmay.com
Our featured indie artist is Chicago legend, the storyteller and Grammy nominated Ray Grant, who has just released a new song Siesta Key. His first 1990 album "It's About Time" earned Grant a Grammy nomination in 1991. Not bad for a self-taught kid from a working-class Chicago neighborhood. His website is raygrantchicago.com  
 

History of Light for the Artist Part 6: Alexander the Great and the founding of Alexandria

We are following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great through the founding of Alexandria and the great library, and Euclid's Elements as a necessary basis for 3-dimensional thought and Art. From a History of Light for the Artist by WC Turck

From Namibia to Berlin, the Words and Music of David Stars

Berlin-based Sasha Dawe-better known as David Stars’- musical style defies simple categories. Post-Punk Folk is as close as I’ve come, but still falls short in describing the work of this eclectic young artist. Think the Norweigian-German shoe-gazing sound of The Whitest Boy Alive as a starting point.  With perhaps a hint of Jeff Tweedy’s sideways sarcasm and James Dean’s squinting scowl that questions the underlying fabric of deeply-held assumptions, all with a sublime youthful freedom at the sunset of that inherent innocence. WC Turck discusses David’s EP, The Cellar Sessions, c collaborations with local DJs, The Hustle and DJ Kitec and some of his favorite African recipes.
Find out more at David and the Stars.com
A Recipe for Namibian Kapana, and for South African Chutney-Mayo Chicken. 
Plus a link to Mrs. Balls' South African Chuthey recipe from Greedy Gourmet!
A link to  Stromae's Youtube channel

To Love Again-A Conversation with Jazz Artist Karuna Shinsho

If there was just a single word to describe To Love Again, the 2021 album from jazz vocalist Karuna Shinsho, that word could only be romance. The album pays special tribute featuring 3 songs by the late Brazilian composer, and the father of the Bossa Nova, Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim, and celebrates Shinsho's Japanese heritage. The website is karunasings.com. The album is a finalist for Jazz Album of the year on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at the 35th annual Wammie Awards in Washington DC, wammiesdc.org

Branding for Artists and Authors with Brand Strategist Michael Finney

Branding was there from the start with emerging genres. Led Zeppelin, Radiohead and the Lumineers have a discernible brand. Arthur C. Clark and Stephen King have clearly identifiable brands. Van Gogh, Picasso and Frida Kahlo likewise are known for their specific styles. Author, filmmaker, musician and Brand Strategist Michael Finney talks about his short and simple program, "How to Create a Personal Brand in 10 Steps". Michael's program simplifies a must need for successfully navigating the new marketplace and establishing your unique brand to the world. For Artists, Authors, Musicians, Not-for Profits and businesses alike to tell the world who you are!
Plus, we hear the latest song from our Featured Indie Artist, Egypt's own Asmaa Naga with the beautiful "Is Your Heart Okay".
A link to Michael-Finney.com and the "How to Create a Personal Brand in 10 Steps", click here. 
The book, "How to Create a Personal Brand in 10 Steps" is available by clicking here at Amazon.com.
 

The War in Ukraine with Julia and Max Voloshyn from Kyiv’s Voloshyn Gallery

WC Turck speaks with Kyiv, Ukraine gallery owners, Julia and Max Voloshyn about the war, history, its affect on the Artist community in Ukraine and coping with being cut off from friends, family and colleagues.
We feature music from Khrystyna Soloviy and Rascal Martinez
A link to Voloshyn Gallery in Kyiv, Ukraine, and to the work of Nikita Kadan on Artsy.
 

Asher George and Walcot, Songs for the Disenfranchised

Singer/songwriter Asher George's Prog-Pop musical vehicle is Walcot. He speaks with WC Turck from Charlotte N.C. about the changing face of music and the Charlotte club scene. Plus, we hear from Walcot's latest releases, Dreamin' Away and Another Man, and show why this is an Artist to watch.
Follow Asher George and Walcot on Instagram @musicbywalcot

That’s a Fact Jack-Greg Martin from the Kentucky Headhunters The Interview

If you have never heard the Kentucky headhunters, their infectious hooks, devil-may-care- lyrics and sweat on the brow working class heart and soul sincerity is right at home for toe-tapping honky tonks and 2am bars. Their latest album is “That’s a Fact Jack.” Kentucky kentuckyheadhunters.com is the website. Grammy and Country Music Award winning guitarist Greg Martin joined the legendary Buddy Guy on Stage in February. Greg speaks with WC Turck about the band's long road to their great new album, music history, family, surviving COVID and his radio show, the Lowdown-Hoedown!
Checkout the band and their upcoming shows at Kentucky Headhunters.com
And Greg's Rockin' show, The Lowdown-Hoedown, Monday's 7-10pm CDT on WDNS-FM, Bowling Green's Classic Rock D93 Here
And a link to Greg's Feb 25th performance with Buddy Guy on Youtube
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