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Playlist: O'Dark 30 episode 116 (3-12)

Compiled By: KUT

Caption: PRX default Playlist image

KUT's O’Dark 30 has nothing clever to say but does have more of the very best from the world of independent radio production this week. Every Sunday at midnight on Austin's KUT 90.5 and also at 4pm on digital KUT2 we present 3 hours of a little bit of everything from the world of independent radio production.

Episode 116 (3-12) includes Live Wire! Episode 173-Special Studio Session...Hotel Isabel (A Postcard from Mexico)...Black History Month: Thelonious Monk, February 17, 1982...Moran on Monk...Zydeco Nation, A Black History Month Special...KUT's Portrait of an Artist: Austin Underground DJs...99% Invisible #40 - Billy Possum...#51 Portrait of a Psychic as a Young Man

Live Wire! Radio Episode 173-Special Studio Session

From Live Wire! Radio | Part of the Live Wire series | 59:00

Comedian Reggie Watts, Musician and Author Josh Ritter, Radio Talk Show Host Peter Sagal and Author Sarah Vowell.

Reggiewatts_small Brilliant, improvisational comedian REGGIE WATTS was featured as "Hot Comedian" in Rolling Stone's Hot Issue 2010, named SPIN Magazine's "Best New Comedian" and "Best of CMJ" 2010, and a featured profile in GQ's Man Of The Year issue 2010. Reggie released his debut comedy cd/dvd 'Why $#!+ So Crazy?' on Comedy Central Records in May 2010.  He is currently touring on both the West and East coasts. www.reggiewatts.com/

Gifted novelist, JOSH RITTER is also an acclaimed musician.  Bright's Passage is his first novel which was published in 2011.
joshritter.com/

PETER SAGAL is the host of one of the most popular shows on public radio, NPR's, Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!  He has been hosting this gem of a show since it's debut in 1997.  He is also a playwright, a screenwriter and an actor.  
petersagal.com/

SARAH VOWELL is the author of Unfamiliar Fishes. She is also a journalist, essayist and social commentator. Often referred to as a "social observer," Vowell has written five nonfiction books on American history and culture, and was a contributing editor for the radio program This American Life on Public Radio International from 1996–2008. 

With your host Courtenay Hameister comedy by Faces for Radio Theater, house poet, Scott Poole and, House band Ralph Huntley and the Muttonchops. 

Hotel Isabel (A Postcard from Mexico)

From Jay Allison | Part of the Stories From Carmen series | 04:33

Carmen Delzell writes about her travels in Mexico and one of her favorite enchanted cheap hotels, the Hotel Isabel "on the edge of time." This piece was produced in 1999, but it's evergreen.

Phpthumb_generated_thumbnailjpg_small Carmen Delzell writes about her travels in Mexico and one of her favorite enchanted cheap hotels, the Hotel Isabel "on the edge of time." This piece was produced in 1999, but it's evergreen.

Black History: Thelonious Monk, February 17, 1982

From Jonathan Thomas Stratman | Part of the Who Died Today series | 03:00

A founding father of bebop and modern jazz, wife Nellie called his style "Melodius Thunk."

Who_died_today_blue2_small A founding father of bebop and modern jazz, wife Nellie called his style "Melodius Thunk."

Moran on Monk

From WNYC | Part of the WNYC's Fishko Files series | 07:02

Pianist Jason Moran on Thelonious Monk

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Moran on Monk
From
WNYC

Saraflat_small On the 90th anniversary of the birth of one of the masters of American music, Thelonious Monk. Monk, who died in 1982, left numerous recordings in his inimitable piano style; and broke new ground with visionary compositions such as "Brilliant Corners" and "Round Midnight." As Sara Fishko tells us in this edition of the Fishko Files, hearing Thelonious Monk?s music for the first time can be habit-forming, as well as life-changing. It certainly was for Jason Moran, who discusses Monk's genius while playing the piano.

Zydeco Nation, A Black History Month Special

From AARP Radio | Part of the Prime Time Radio series | 01:02:45

Prime Time Radio's Black History Month Special: Zydeco Nation.

Thierry001_small AARP's Prime Time Radio Black History Month Special documentary traces how the Louisiana Creole music known as zydeco found a new home 2,000 miles from its birthplace. Independent producers Richard Ziglar and Barry Yeoman interviewed the people who migrated from Louisiana to California starting in World War II to escape the racial discrimination prevalent in the South and find jobs in the shipping and defense industries. Once in California, they worked hard to keep their culture alive, especially their musical traditions.

The musicians and dancers who underwent this migration tell their stories of rebuilding their lives and their community. And they talk about how younger musicians are transmitting zydeco to the next generation-in the hopes that Creole traditions will continue to thrive in California.

We hope you enjoy AARP's Prime Time Radio Black History Month Special: Zydeco Nation, this week on Prime Time Radio.

99% Invisible #40- Billy Possum (Standard 4:30 Version)

From Roman Mars | Part of the 99% Invisible (Standard Length) series | 04:30

The children's fad that has never swept the nation

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#51 - Portrait of a Psychic as a Young Man

From Salt Institute for Documentary Studies | Part of the SaltCast: the Backstory to Great Radio Storytelling series | 11:47

Ninety-nine percent of the time, using the pronoun “I” in a story is a journalistic no-no. But sometimes, it's a useful storytelling tool.

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Ninety-nine percent of the time, using the pronoun “I” in a story is a journalistic no-no.

The reasons for this prohibition are many. One is objectivity. Remaining aloof and distant helps a reporter achieve the goal of objectivity, or so the conventional thinking goes.

Another is focus. The story isn’t about the reporter. It’s about the people they report on.

But sometimes, the pronoun “I” is a useful storytelling tool. For instance, “I” unlocks possibilities for framing and entering a story.

In the case of today’s feature on Saltcast, “I” (and it’s cousin “me”) allows the reporter to act as a surrogate for skeptical listeners when no character is available to play that role in the story.

Katie Mingle’s “Portrait of a Psychic as a Young Man” is a timeless tale of adolescence told through fifteen year old Nathan Dyer. Katie gently uses the first person in the story — sometimes directly, other times through carefully understated observation. She artfully achieves both objectivity and focus while employing “I.”

Just off the top of my head, I can think of two reporters who are masters of “I” –  Sean Cole and Neenah Ellis. They manage to navigate the tricky waters of objectivity and focus while writing in the first person.

Sean Cole has a lot of work posted at PRX. Many of his stories are archived at NPR.org. He also wrote an excellent essay on “I” for transom.org.

Many Neenah Ellis productions can also be found at PRX and NPR.org. I especially like Neenah’s opening piece in a series on centenarians.

Feast your ears on other stories by Katie Mingle at her website.