KKFI Launches Two New Radio Shows
KKFI is proud to announce two new programs on the weekly schedule. Kasey Rausch and Mikal Shapiro are hosts of “River Trade Radio” taking over the Sunday morning 9:00-11:00 am timeslot for Jeanne Jasperse, who passed away in 2013. Jason Vivone, the leader of Kansas City’s award winning band the Billy Bats, hosts a new Thursday afternoon blues show, “The Boogie Bridge,” beginning Thursday, March 6, at 4 pm.
All three radio programmers are nationally known performers and long-time KKFI supporters.
The Boogie Bridge
Beginning Thursday, March 6, former IBC winner and long-time KC bluesman Jason Vivone begins hosting the regular blues slot from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. His show will be called The Boogie Bridge.
Originally from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Vivone had family in Kansas City that indulged his fever for blues and blues based music. “They would take me to record stores or whatever club they could sneak me into when I would visit. I’m proud to feature some of those same old records on the new program,” Vivone said.
As a musician, Vivone has toured primarily in the Midwest and the South. As a recording artist, his music has been downloaded and played all over the world.
“Just using the phrase ‘oh, I’m from Kansas City’ gives you clout in blues and roots circles. We have a great legacy of not only musicians but scholars, die hard fans and radio folk.”
River Trade Radio
An update about this show from “
River Trade Radio” programmers Kasey Rausch and Mikal Shapiro. The first show aired Sunday, March 2.
As community activists and music makers in the Kansas City scene for over 20 years, we have always been great supporters of KKFI Community Radio. We are so excited to be a part of the programming and look forward to growing with KKFI as we carry forward the mission to provide hand-picked, independent music from our collections. We love KKFI because it provides a platform for Real! Live! Touring and local musicians to perform in-studio as well as an opportunity to share talented songwriters under-represented by Corporate Radio. You can’t get that on Pandora!
As co-hosts, we come from different musical backgrounds but both of us have found common ground in the Folk, Bluegrass and Americana genres. Kasey grew up in a family of bluegrass and country pickers and Mikal grew up in a family of jazz drummers and barber shop singers. In 1993, Kasey lent Mikal her first guitar and taught her the chords to House of the Rising Sun. Shortly after, the two of us began playing out as a duo in coffee shops and bookstores. We continue to collaborate and tour together with our different projects. We also co-host the Mama Ra House Concert Series which showcases local and national musicians in the comfort of our living rooms.
River Trade Radio is our newest, and most extensive collaboration to date. As a community-supported radio show, we highly encourage feedback, stories and suggestions as we move along down the current. Let us know what music has moved you! Who and what would you like to hear on River Trade Radio? We hope you’ll join us Sunday mornings. All Aboard!
Catch the next show when guests Victor & Penny and Betse Ellis play live in the studio and talk about their experiences at last month’s Folk Alliance International conference, held right here in Kansas City.
Program Notes
Amy Bell is a new co-host and board engineer on Every Woman, which airs Saturdays at 3:00 pm. Philip Hooser recently joined the team of hosts and producers on The Tenth Voice, heard Saturdays at 1:00 pm. And Alverne Bush is a new producer/host on Jaws of Justice Radio on Mondays at 9:00 am.
