Bowhead Whales; Ed Bremer; Kaddywompas & Chicken Feet!

Fancy yourself the seafaring type? Here's your chance to see if you've got the goods.

The Adventuress

This vessel in this picture was built with the intention of finding a bowhead whale skeleton. Now it's got KSER's Ed Bremer!

Ed is hosting his annual voyage aboard the Adventuress. The Adventuress is a two-masted, gaff-rigged schooner, launched in 1913. Her owner, John Borden II, of Chicago, commissioned the vessel for his personal use to embark on an Arctic expedition to collect specimens for the American Museum of Natural History in New York, with the particular goal of adding a bowhead whale skeleton to the museum's exhibits. Never got the whale, unfortunately.

Adventuress came to Seattle in 1952, and today she serves as the flagship of Sound Experience, a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Puget Sound. And each summer it travels north to Everett and, again this summer, you can join KSER, Ed Bremer and the Whateverly Brothers for a special evening sailing on May 30th. Ticket info here.

Tim Noah & The Kaddywompas Players

 If you've never heard Tim Noah's KSER Kaddywompas Radio Show, make sure you tune in or listen online this weekend.  Sunday, May 5th you'll be able to hear the latest 1-hour installment of the Kaddywompas Radio Show at 8 a.m. and again at 4 p.m.  Kaddywompas is performed before a live studio audience at Tim's Thumbnail Theater in Snohomish. This Sunday's show features special musical guest Bill Davie.

The Everett Herald Arts Seen column gave this performance of Kaddywompas a big thumbs up!  By the way, if you want to be in the audience for the next live Kaddywompas performance, mark your calendar for Sunday, June 16.

So, you want to be a famous DJ like KSER's 'Uncle Pat', host of Thursday evening's "Good Times"?  Well, the next KSER Basic Broadcast Class is starting up in June. It's a Wednesday evening course, 2-hours per week for  six weeks. You can get all the information here, and once you complete the class you'd have an opportunity to submit a show proposal to KSER. You, too, could end up wearing chicken feet on the radio!

Roger Pawley; Jan Vance; Lillian Ortiz-Self; 2012 Voice of the Community Award Winners

 We're always being asked, "I have someone I want to nominate for the KSER Voice of the Community Award, when can I do that?" The answer is...now! The nomination period is now open and you can nominate an individual, organization or business that has positively affected residents within the KSER coverage area. This year's KSER Voice of the Community Celebration will be held in October.  But you should make your nominations soon. Get all the information here.

Jessica Lynne 

 If you missed Jessica Lynne, JoAnne Rand or any of the other singer-songwriters who've visited KSER recently, you can see some of their in-studio performances any time you like at the KSER YouTube page.

Sightseer visits KSER

If you enjoy the music and live singer-songwriter performances at KSER, we hope you'd consider becoming a KSER member by making a donation to support independent public radio.  If you're already a member, thank you!  And remember, you can also support our station by purchasing cool KSER merchandise - shirts, hats, commuter mugs, tote bags, dog bowls - at the KSER online store.

The Singer-Songwriters who visit KSER

One of the newest volunteers at KSER is George Bentley.  You won't hear George on the air.  He's now one of those radio guys whose work you can SEE!  George is a great photographer, and video editor.

When we have a musical performer on one of the KSER shows, George usually shows up and takes pictures.  And video.  Not only that, but he usually talks the performers into going outside and doing what George calls, "KSER Outdoor Sessions."  So, to help you relax on the long Thanksgiving weekend, here's some of Georges work and some of his pics.

Special thanks to Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner for appearing with Ron Taffi on KSER's Sunlit Room.

Thanks to Tony Lucca, of The Voice fame,  and his band for appearing with Ron.

Ron also featured Sightseer on the Sunlit Room.

Miss Nicolette hosted Northern Departure on the Sunday morning Bluegrass Express.

And Left Hand Smoke made a special appearance on KSER's Sunlit Room.

If you're not regularly listening to the great music shows on KSER you're probably going to miss some spectacular performances by great local artists.

And extra thanks to KSER volunteer George Bentley of GeorgieCat Productions for the great videos. You can see more of George's musical photo work here. 

Weekend Manager's Mailbox

Holy In-Box, Batman. This week we received a huge batch of emails to KSER. Some of them were even printable. Here are the ones I was able to answer....

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  I know you have a lot of volunteers at KSER. I really don't want to be on the air, but I'd like to volunteer to help behind the scenes. How can I apply?  Darryl, Lake Stevens

Darryl:  It's easy. You can apply on our website here. Thanks.

Dear Tom@KSER.org: Will tickets for Amy Goodman's Everett appearance be cheaper at the door the day of the event?  Frank, La Conner

Frank:  Actually, they'll be a little more expensive: $20 at the door.  But, there's a good chance NO seats will be available by October 27th. So, if you want to save a little money and guarantee a seat, place your order now. 

Dear Tom@KSER.org: I contribute to KSER and I'm just wondering how much money you guys are having to spend to get Amy Goodman to come to Everett?  Michelle, Mountlake Terrace

Michelle: Nothing. Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan are visiting Everett, and a lot of other cities, to help raise money for community radio stations like KSER. She is charging us absolutely nothing for the appearance October 27th at Everett Community College.

Dear Tom@KSER.org: I like how the dee-jays on KSER have local bands on the air, talk to them and let them play some of their songs.  You should do more of that! Perry, Lynnwood

Perry:  We're always happy to showcase local bands.

Dear Tom@KSER.org: I heard you guys talk about your news guy, Ed Bremer, signing up people to register to vote somewhere in downtown Everett. Where & When? And Is Bremer really going to be there or is that just a gimmick to get us to come in?  DeeDee, Lake Stevens

DeeDee:  Ed Bremer will be there! 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. this Tuesday September 25 at Firewheel Books and Beans 2820 Oakes Avenue. You'll be able to register to vote, on the spot and Ed will let you buy him a cup of coffee.

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  Am I the only one who finds it a little ironic that Amy Goodman, of all people, is going to be speaking at the Henry M. Jackson Center?  What would Scoop think?   Ernesto, Langley

Ernesto:  Not only is Amy speaking October 27th at the Henry M. Jackson Center, but the event is being held in the Wilderness Room.  Should be pretty wild.

Dear Tom@KSER.org: Do you guys have to do this pledge drive starting next Friday?  Jack, Lynnwood.

Jack:  Yes.

Dear Tom@KSER.org: I love that show you do during the week called Caribbean Sounds. I'm not sure which night it is. Who's the host?  He plays some great music.  Gail, Everett

Gail: Noel Williams is the host of Caribbean Sounds, every Monday evening at 7 p.m.

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  What's up with your crazy typewriter? I watched that youtube video you had of the band Sightseer at your station. And if you stop the video when it's showing your building, you can see the cartoony typewriter in the background. Do the keys have any meaning?  Cody, Mukilteo

Cody:  You are either very observant or you have too much free time. We put the Youtube video in this post after Sightseer visited KSER. The keys do convey a deep, special message about KSER. See if you can figure it out. The first 25 readers to put the correct answer in the comment box below will have their name featured prominently in the comment box below!

KSER In-Studio Performance - Sightseer

If you don't regularly listen to KSER you're missing out on hearing some great, live, in-studio performances by local bands. Two members of  the Seattle band, Sightseer, were in the studio with Ron Taffi on the Sunlit room Thursday afternoon.

P A Mathison; Jason Lightfoot perform at KSER

P.A. Mathison and Jason Lightfoot stopped by and talked with Ron and performed a few of their songs. They're appearing at the Hard Rock in Seattle Saturday night in a benefit for the Women's Funding Alliance.

P A Mathison; Jason Lightfoot

PA; Ron Taffi; Jason at KSER by George Bentley

 

Sightseer's Women's Funding Alliance performance Saturday in Seattle is part of Sirens - Sing Out for Women & Girls.

If you want to listen to their KSER performance and the interview with Ron, you can hear it for the next two weeks on the KSER Radio Replayer. Just click on the 1 p.m. hour, Thursday, January 20. And you can find out more about Sightseer here.

by George Bentley

George Bentley of GeorgieCat Productions took some of the Sightseer pictures at KSER. You can see his collection on Flickr here.

KSER Weekend Mailbox

It’s the weekend. And time for another edition of the KSER Mailbox:

Dear Tom@KSER.org:   I hear you guys talk about your radio replayer. But what the heck is it?  There are some past shows I’d like to hear, but not sure how to do it. Help?   Robert, Arlington

Robert:  It’s easy. We archive all of our shows for two weeks. So anything you’ve heard in the past 14 days you can listen to again (or for the first time) online.  Just go to our website, www.kser.org. On the left side of the home page, click on listen live, to hear what’s on the air now or click on Radio Replayer to listen to past shows.

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  A friend of mine says that all radio stations these days do what he called ‘voice tracking’ and the on-air people are actually recorded and not even in the studio. I told him it sounds like the KSER people are all in the studio.  Am I right?  What is voice tracking?  Diane, Everett

Diane:  You are right. And your friend is almost right. Many radio stations use a technique called voice tracking. The DJ records his ‘talking’ segments (the times he/she talks between records) in digital audio.  Then a computer program inserts those talk breaks between the songs being played on the station.  Sometimes there is no DJ in the studio at the time you’re listening.  Sometimes the DJ isn’t even in the same city or state.  Some DJ’s will voice-track shows on multiple stations.   We don’t use voice tracking at KSER.  Our DJ’s and local news hosts are all live.  And our local hosts are in the KSER studios.  

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  I like how sometimes you guys have local bands in the studio answering questions and performing on the radio live. I just heard Austin Jenckes a while back, by accident.  Is there anywhere you can let us know in advance when you’re having bands on KSER?  Brad, Mill Creek

Brad:  Glad you like that. Austin Jenckes of Duvall (now living in Nashville) was on with Ron Taffi  on KSER’s Sunlit room two weeks ago.  Sometimes we find out on very short notice that bands/performers are going to be on the air.  But we’ll try to post a notice in advance online and on the KSERfm Twitter feed. Coming up next Thursday at about 1 p.m. Ron will have the Bellevue band Sightseer in studio.

Sightseer

Dear Tom@KSER.org: My husband and I love KSER and we like to contribute when you do your pledge drives. We love supporting local community radio.  But we were on vacation in July and we learned you did a pledge drive while we in Hawaii.  Can you tell us when you will have another pledge drive?  Doug & Sarah, Marysville

Sarah & Doug:  You are the first known humans to ever ask for a pledge drive schedule!! But, since you asked, the next KSER Pledge Drive starts Friday, September 28. But, you never have to wait for a pledge drive to support KSER. It’s fast and easy online and available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Heck, you can even go to the KSER website and purchase cool shirts and water bottles for your next trip to Hawaii!

Way Cool Water Bottle

Dear Tom@KSER.org:  I drove by what I guess is the KSER building on Wetmore this week. Sheesh, what kind of place do you call that?  Nickie, Everett

Nickie:  Most of us refer to it as the KSER World Heaquarters or the KSER Compound. But, mostly, we just call it home. By the way, did I mention that you can donate to KSER online 24/7?

KSER World Headquarters

 If you have a questions, comments, compliments or even gripes you can leave a message below or email Tom@KSER.org.  Have a nice weekend!