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WXDU's Mission
WXDU, as a member of the Duke University Union, exists to inform, educate, and entertain both the students of Duke University and the surrounding community of Durham through quality progressive alternative radio programming. WXDU seeks to give its staff the freedom to pursue their personal aesthetic within the framework of a cohesive format. WXDU aims to provide the listener with an alternative viewpoint untainted by commercial interests. WXDU resolves to maintain good relations with the music industry without compromising its integrity and nationally recognized commitment to quality programming. WXDU resolves to remain a laboratory where all members are free to make and learn from their mistakes.
 
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Blogs

Mystery Show January 17, 2010: Lonely Records of 2009 (pt 2)

 Following up on Phil B's mystery show from two weeks ago, I am going to be spinning some of the less-loved, but nonetheless great albums that were added to the stacks at WXDU in 2009. These will be the more abstract and avante albums that got fewer than 5 plays, but deserved a bit more attention.

Tune in Sunday Jan 17, 2010 from 10-11PM.

88.7FM in Durham or http://wxdu.org for iTunes

 

des_ark live on air: Sunday 1/17 @ 4:00 p.m.

We've known des_ark's Aimee Argote since she was a high school member of Youth Voice Radio back in the late 90s. As des_ark, she's played live on WXDU twice before, in January 2006 & December 2007. Generally the way it works is that she shows up and picks an unlikely spot in the station to set up (in 2006 it was the landing halfway up the stairs, and in 2007 directly in front of the open window at the top of the stairs), and then we push the red button & whatever happens, happens. 

4:00 p.m., or as soon thereafter as we can get it together.

 

Something Latin This Way Comes...MYSTERY SHOW SUNDAY 10 PM

Join DJ Santa SALSERA for the Mystery Show, our open specialty slot, THIS SUNDAY (Jan. 10) from 10-11 pm.

My past mystery show themes have included "Do The Latin Hustle," and "Salsa Electric Guitar Solos," so expect Latin with a twist!

 

WXDU Top 100 of 2009

Thanks to everyone who tuned in and helped make our Top 100 countdown so successful!  In case you missed the show, here's the full list of our top albums and compilations of 2009.

Top 100 albums:

 

WXDU Top 100 of 2009 Countdown 01/01/10

WXDU presents its 2nd annual top-100 new year's day countdown!!  Join us all day (well, 10am-10pm) as we bring you the top 100 new albums/reissues (and top 20 compilations) from the WXDU airwaves of 2009.  The coundown is once again proudly sponsored by Bull City Records! There will be gift certificate giveaways and loads of fun.  Rest off that hangover with a day of 2009's best music, WXDU style!

 

Azucar y Candela featured review: MIGUEL ZENON

 

Listen: AZUCAR y CANDELA Wed 6-8 pm. On Facebook:  "Santa Salsera"

Featured review:  MIGUEL ZENON, "Esta Plena"

Electrifying, reverential and profound, "Esta Plena" is a never-before-seen melding of plena and Latin jazz, as coequal partners. Though Puerto Rican saxophonist Miguel Zenon had experimented with his native island's folk rhythms on the earlier Jíbaro, this is a much deeper foray into ancestral territory.  <<READ MORE>>

Briefly, plena is a portable, improvised, drum and vocal ensemble known as "the newspaper of the streets," built around three panderos (frame drums similar to tambourines without the chimes). Five of the tunes on "Esta Plena" are named for neighborhoods in Santurce--a working class suburb outside San Juan that has been a hotbed of plena--where Zenon spent time growing up. Zenon is joined on the rest by some of Puerto Rico's top plena musicians, led by Hector "Tito" Matos. Plena has largely been neglected up until now as fertile ground for jazz (vs. the oft-adapted Afro-Cuban rhythms); Zenon opens that long-awaited conversation with this boldly conceptualized, yet personal homage.

 

Surinamese Saturday on MONDO MUNDO! 2-4 pm

My guest on Mondo Mundo this week:  Raleigh musician Frake Hunsel who will share his collection of classic Surinamese vinyl and CDs in the musical styles of Kaseko, Kawina, Aleke, Motjo poku, KasKawi, Groot Bazuin and more!

Special:  Music of Suriname
MONDO MUNDO Dec. 19, Saturday, 2-4 pm
WXDU 88.7 FM www.wxdu.org
Host:  Santa Salsera with guest Frake Hunsel  

This is a rare opportunity to hear and learn more about Surinamese artists such as: <<<READ MORE>>>

Lieve Hugo, NAKS Kaseko Loco, Kamalamas, Kara Dara, Conjunto Latinos, Ai Sa Si, Ghabiang, Twinkle Stars, Snijders, Santo Boys, Carlo Jones and the Surinam Troubadours, and the Fra Fra Sound. 

Suriname, a former Dutch colony and the smallest country in South America, is nestled on the Caribbean rim, shares a border with Brazil, and is home to huge ethnic and linguistic diversity. Musical influences include calypso and Cuban son. Frake Hunsel is a world percussionist who performs with ELM Collective and has his own kaseko music ensemble. 

Check it out!
-Santa Salsera

 

Sacred Steel Guitarist DaShawn Hickman plays live tonight on The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown

Sacred Steel Guitarist DaShawn Hickman will be playing live this Tues Dec 8th in the 7:00 hour during The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown.

DaShawn lives in Mt. Airy, NC, where he learned to play the pedal steel guitar from his mother who was the minister of the local House of God church. For years he has played his steel for church services, but recently he's been playing outside of the church, first with his cousins in The Allen Boys and now has formed a new group "DaShawn Hickman and Steel Moven".

Tune in Tues evening to hear this exciting music played live in the studio and for a conversation with DaShawn about his music and his new group.

 

Documentarians Richard Ziglar and Barry Yeoman discuss their new Blues documentary on The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown

Local writers and documentarians Richard Ziglar and Barry Yeoman visit The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown on Tues Dec 1st in the 7pm hour to discuss their new audio and photo documentary "Still Singing the Blues" on blues musicians from New Orleans and South Louisiana.  They'll be discussing their travels and interviews with both well known and not-so-well-known blues artists in Louisiana - we'll also be playing plenty of music from Louisiana.  You can read more about their documentary-to-be here:  http://stillsingingtheblues.blogspot.com

 

 

Katherine Whalen's "Lucky" to play live on The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown

Tune in Tues from 6:30-8pm to hear Katherine Whalen's new band "Lucky" play live on The Bull City Cosmic Hoedown.

This group from Chapel Hill, lead by Squirrel Nut Zipper founder and singer, Katherine Whalen, features banjo and tenor guitar, steel guitar, upright bass and drums. The music ranges between country-rock, blues, surf, tight harmony singing and modern pop sounds.

Catch them playing Friday at the Cat's Cradle during Jon Shain's post-turkey-day-jam.