Artspeak Radio May Edition

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, May 8, 9am -10am CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org

Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes trumpeter/producer Alber (Alberto Racanati) Chris Dalquist, Erin McGrane, & ArtsKC.

Trumpeter and producer Alber (Alberto Racanati) will release his first multimedia show “Born At Sea” on May 23rd, 2024, at the Charlotte Street Foundation’s Stern Theater.
“Born At Sea” is the latest work by Kansas City-based artist Alber, a multimedia production featuring a live original soundtrack, poetry, dance, video projection, and live visuals.
Conceived as an ode to water, “Born At Sea” is an immersive celebration of life on the
coastline. “Born At Sea” is articulated in four movements, each one of them featuring a guest musician: Lauren Auge (voice), Alex Mallett (double bass), Evan Verploegh (percussion), and Austin Glassco (guitar and live electronics) will join Alber and his trumpet.
On the visual side, there will be Alexis Borth (dance), Zach Latas (lights), and Matt Thomas (live visuals). Every movement is introduced by Kansas City poet Vanessa Aricco, and presents different visual representations of the beautiful coastline of Alberto’s hometown in Bisceglie, Italy.
The inspiration for “Born At Sea” comes from Alberto’s personal need to feel close to one of the things he misses the most as an immigrant: life around a large body of water. “People tend to absorb their surroundings and make them a part of their own persona, and the sea is definitely part of my life” says Alberto. With “Born At Sea,” his hope is to take the immersive landscapes of the Southern Italian coastline and translate them into an all-encompassing work of art. Furthermore, Alber is thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with talented artists across multiple disciplines to explore new facets of his ever-expanding vision.
This production won an ArtsKC’s Inspiration Grant in 2023, and it is a part of the ProdoLAB series, curated by Eddie Moore and the Charlotte Street Foundation. Alberto is currently a studio resident at the Charlotte Street Foundation.

Alber (Alberto Racanati) was born and raised in Bari, Southern Italy. He started playing the trumpet at age 11 while cultivating a passion for underground music, which led him to spend his developing years playing bass and drums in rock and metal bands. Following his dream, he first enrolled at the Piccinni Conservatory of Music in his native Bari, then relocated to Gdansk,Poland, to study at the Moniuszko National Music Academy. He moved to the United States in 2014, where he studied at Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL), and the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music. He started releasing music and performing as Alber in 2018.
After a long gestation period of growth and sound searching, he began playing
live shows in Kansas City, gradually becoming a staple in the local scene.
In 2020, he went to the studio during the first months of isolation and released his self-titled debut album. He followed with “Journey” in 2021, along with relentless live performance activity around the US, as well as in his native Italy. April 2024 brought the release of his third album “Lento,” a further evolution of his musical journey.
In addition to the “Born at Sea” ProdoLAB, Alber will be a featured performer at the annual Charlotte Street Open Studios, as well as 90.1 KKFI’s annual band auction.
Further Kansas City dates include recordBar, Manor Fest, and ArtsKC’s Kansas City Contemporary Music Festival. Alber will also perform at the Italian Institute of Culture in Manhattan, Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, and more dates in Boston and Providence as part of an East Coast tour in June.

Trumpeter and producer Alber released his third studio album, Lento, on April 12th, 2024. Lento is the latest work blending smooth jazz, electronica, and instrumental hip-hop. Described as “consummate chill-out music for the cool kids of today” while also appealing to “old-school smooth jazz fans,” Alber’s music is a result of his experiences as a musician traveling the world. Coming out two years after his sophomore album Journey, Lento is a deeper, further developed take on his sonic aesthetic.
The inspiration for Lento (“slow” in Italian) comes from a deep yearning for contemplation and thoughtfulness, a desire to go against modern trends aimed at producing an increasingly absent-minded and vapid consumer base. “’Lento’ is one of those recurring words in my mind; one of my personal reminders to take it easy and live in the present, absorbing every instant,” says Alber.
In a memory vortex filled by old detective movies on VHS, randomly acquired beat cassette tapes, and countless hours of band practice, Alber’s music is a survey of his experiences as an immigrant musician living in America. Steam, neon lights,
foreign languages, and a jazz record playing somewhere nearby are some of the daily inspirations for his sound concept.
Plastic Sax’s Bill Brownlee describes his music as resembling “a worn-out cassette of Miles Davis’ 1984 album Decoy or a sun-warped vinyl copy of a mid-’70s Bob James’ recording.” His writing comes from the combined use of his horns, hardware synthesizers, and FX processors in his studio. The use of such technology allows him to augment the capacities of the trumpet while keeping the tactile nature of a musical
instrument. Alber’s live sets capture the room and embark on a timeless sound journey, and they are an event for like-minded individuals who enjoy a “lento” lifestyle.

www.albersounds.com
www.instagram.com/alber_sounds
https://linktr.ee/ALBER_sounds

CHRIS DALQUIST/ERIN MCGRANE-ARTcap
What is ARTcap? Express microloans help artists and creative entrepreneurs growtheir businesses with accessible capital and mentorship.
How’s it work? ARTcap Express microloans offerartists and creatives in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas loans under $10,000.
No collateral is required. Varying credit scores will be considered, and lending decisions can be made within 5–7 business days after all application documents are received.
This microloan product is available to sole proprietors, LLCs, and corporations at any stage of growth. Larger loans are also available —just inquire.
Funding and mentorship
AltCap Express offers a unique support element: artist mentorship. Interested loan applicants can access an ARTcap Artist Coach to help develop a business strategy, financial planning, and loan application. Our coaches are professional artists who are experienced in small business development and our application process. They can provide up to two hours of free consultation to each applicant.
How to get started
For more information or to apply for an ARTcap Express microloan, visit www.altcap.org/artcap.
If you need assistance or have questions before you get started on an application, please attend one of our free monthly informational sessions.
www.altcap.org/artcap

SAM COOK, Director of Development Gordon Parks Elementary School & Dr. Regina Nouhan, a community volunteer at the school as part of their Mentorship Program-
Gordon Parks proudly announces INSPIRE! Fauna Fantastical, an imaginative art exhibition showcasing the remarkable talents of our students. This event highlights Gordon Parks’ ongoing commitment to project-based learning, which empowers our students to explore, create, and learn daily. This event will embody the legacy of our namesake and continue our commitment to honoring his legacy.
INSPIRE! Fauna Fantastical, a unique art exhibition, will feature sculptures that draw inspiration from the animal kingdom but are transformed into fantastical creatures. These one-of-a-kind pieces are a testament to the creativity and innovation fostered by our project-based curriculum, providing a glimpse into the extraordinary worlds our students imagine.
Event Details:
• Opening Cocktail Party: May 16th 6pm-8pm
• Location: 4415 Warwick Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64111
• Exhibition Dates: May 16th-May 19th
• Admission: Free Event
We invite all art lovers and education supporters to join us for this captivating exhibition. Your presence will celebrate the work of our students and support our continued efforts to create the very best learning environment in Kansas City. Please visit our website at gordonparks.org/inspire.
We look forward to seeing you INSPIRE! Fauna Fantastical.
INSPIRE! Fauna Fantastical, Thursday, May 16th, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Kansas City Art Institute, 4415 Warwick Blvd. KCMO

ARTSKC-The arts enrich us in so many ways. They teach us about one another, about our struggles, about our hopes and fears, about love and what drives us. So it’s no surprise that there are proven health benefits both mental and physical that we get when we participate in the arts. We recognize there are barriers that often prevent everyone from being able to access arts events, shows and exhibits where they are. Financial barriers, geographical barriers or a lack of belonging. The Drop changes that. We want to break down the obstacles that keep people on the sidelines and build authentic partnerships with communities that have far too often been excluded. And we’re reinventing what inclusive arts participation looks like in KC by meeting people where they are. This isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about creating real opportunity. We want to see faces from all backgrounds in the audience because their perspectives make the arts experience richer for everyone. For anyone who has ever felt shut out, The Drop is their personal invite to the KC arts scene. Let’s save them a spot.

The Drop is a regional arts & culture access program designed to break down the barriers to participation for individuals who do not typically participate or have been excluded from experiencing the arts. In its pilot phase, The Drop reduces the cost of participation, enlists community-based organizations to serve as Community Ambassadors, and provides know-before-you-go information to establish familiarity, all creating a stronger sense of belonging toward a wide variety of events offered by the Kansas City arts & culture community.
The Drop provides a variety of discounts to members for events hosted by our 11 Arts & Culture Partners. In short, we’re making a difference by paying the difference. ArtsKC covers 100% of the cost of the discounts offered through The Drop, so there’s no financial burden for our Arts & Culture Partners, only benefits.
We are currently piloting this program, so it is not widely available throughout our region at this time. Members of the public can join The Drop by obtaining a Membership Card from one of our Community Ambassadors, or by registering online. The Drop is piloting throughout various ZIP codes in our region, but we will expand access in the future as the program continues.
Have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected]
www.artskc.org

Share This Episode