VOICE of the CITY live with a Full House! Special guests, C.C. Arshagra, Sam Long, Wesleyan Free Style Poets, Lauren Angelli, Sympetalous,

In honor of 88.1FM WESU Middletown's annual pledge drive we had a party in the studio! Thank you, to all the wonderful artists for coming out and supporting WESU! And to our listening audience, WESU raised $13,500! This would not have been possible without all of your support! Thank you, for pledging to keep community radio alive and vibrant!

Click here to hear the show

88.1FM WESU Middletown
VOICE of the CITY airs the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday from 6:30 to 8PM

Live and local... this ain't no commercial radio!http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveWithAFullHouseForPledgeDriveWeek

Simpler Days

Tim Sparks

Sometimes I feel like an angel

A few weeks ago before the show we had an impromptu jam. I sang the words written by the talented C.C. Arshagra. With C.C. on piano and the fabulous Mr. Sparks on guitar this is what happened.

Thank you, Blink Of An Eye Under Construction Project, for filming!

VOICE of the CITY live with Shakey Ground on 88.1FM WESU Middletown

88.1FM WESU Middletown
VOICE of the CITY airs the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday from 6:30 to 8PM

The studio was jumping with Shakey Ground at 88.1FM WESU Middletown. Hailing from Worcester  Massachusetts, Shakey Ground has got the sound to make you get up and dance! Tune in to hear the show recorded live, click here.

Shakey Ground

VOICE of the CITY on WESU 88.1FM, with special guest, Richard Geller

Richard Geller is a writer, poet, singer/songwriter. Richard writes poetry, songs, and stories, inspired by dreams and meditation.


"I think sometimes

What’s the point
Of writing poems, stories or songs?

Deep inside, I think
Most writers understand
This world is crazy." Richard Geller

Recorded live at WESU 88.1FM: Listen Here

Voice of the CITY airs the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday of the month from 6:30 to 8PM. Featuring local arts and culture in the community.

Live and local, this ain't no commercial radio...

J-Cherry guests hosts, River Valley Rhythms on WESU 88.1FM Middletown

Gale Gardiner 

With special guest, Gale Gardiner, multitalented musician, singer/songwriter. 

"Singer, Songwriter, Composer with major sea fever. Enjoy lots of styles, dancin' (with fingers or thoughts, with nothing under foot), the journey and those whose paths I'm fortunate to cross." Gale Gardiner 

Listen to the show recorded live at WESU 88.1FM Middletown, click here.

River Valley Rhythms with Stephan Allison, airs on Thursday afternoons from 4 to 4:55PM, on WESU 88.1FM Middletown. Live and local, this ain't no commercial radio...

VOICE of the CITY with Amy Mielke, Tao LaBossiere, Joey Batts, and Bill Revill

WESU 88.1FM Middletown
VOICE of the CITY with J-Cherry 1st, 3rd, and 5th, Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8PM
Always live and local... this ain't no commercial radio! 

Click here to listen to the show recorded live at WESU 88.1FM Middletown

Amy Mielke and Tao Labossiere are a dynamic art couple out of Hartford.

Amy Mielke and Tao LaBossiere at WESU

They make the arts assessable to the community. Producing shows, creating art, managing ArtSpace Gallery in Hartford, sitting on the board of Oil Drum Art. Just to name a few of the many things they do for the world of art here in Connecticut. 

Still Waters

They are currently restoring a beautiful family property, Still Waters into a retreat center in Voluntown, CT. Equipped with quaint cabins and colorful art decorating the rooms, and sculptures in the woods. This quiet nook is the perfect place for a retreat. They are currently booking for 2012.

Joey Batts is Hip Hop artist with zest and passion. He can spin a rhyme anywhere anytime... By day he is a creative writing teacher for high school students, by night he is a popular hip hop artist storming the Connecticut Hip Hop Scene. 

Joey Batts at WESU 

Bill Revill is a both a DJ at WESU, and a talented painter. His works are currently on display at the Buttonwood Tree in downtown Middletown. Bill began painting after he was offered an earlier retirement. With time on his hands he dove into the world of art and discovered a new talent. 

Bill Revill at WESU 

VOICE of the CITY, gigglejuice live!

Voice of the CITY special guests, GIGGLEJUICE! Recorded live, October 4th, on WESU 88.1FM Middletown. Airing the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday from 6:30 to 8PM. It's live, it's local, it's hot! This ain't no commercial radio! Streaming live world wide wesufm.org

Click hear to isten to the show

gigglejuice with Tim Sparks, at WESU 88.1FM

gigglejuice

Founded in 1992 by the barefoot guitarist, drummer, lyricist and singer Kevin Day,gigglejuice has been refined and distilled with the help of John "hig" Higgins on saxophone and flute, Brendan Kearney on bass, Juan Rivera on the kit, as well as chill-i chilleye chill-m on bongos, djimbe, percussion and didgeradoo. With cross currents of David Lowery, Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, Sonny Rollins and Jerry Garcia, gigglejuice has a little of something for everyone. Pointed lyrics by K.Day are sprinkled over rhythmic world beats and splashed with the spice of wandering flute lines and mystic bass tones. Weaving a tasty choice of improv blues and jazz with velvet smooth overtones and a jammy finish, we are thrilled to present such a creative line up of original music.

gigglejuice offers a potent mix of acoustic and electric sets, taking listeners on a surprise laden ride with each performance. Will K.Day be chucking chords on his guitar or sending out seismic rifts on the drums? Will Hig play tiptoe on his flute or will he sax you up? When will Chill-i put down the djimbe and pull out the didgeradoo for a sound fest which is over 30,000 years old? What surreal narrative will KevinDay think of next? Will Brendan rattle the walls with a sub-sonic blast or will he offer a cosmic trip along an extended bass solo? You never know until it happens. 

gigglejuice live on WESU 88.1FM

Drink the gigglejuice!!!!!

Tim Sparks, WESU 88.1FM Middletown

click here to visit gigglejuice 

Tonight on WESU 88.1FM: VOICE of the CITY airing from 6:30 to 8PM

Listen live on line at WESU 88.1FM

GIGGLEJUICE! It's Gigglicous!!! 

With Wide Jamz and Tasty Cool Grooves gigglejuice is an original fusion of rock, reggae, jazz and psychedelic jamz. Whether it's acoustic or electric, gigglejuice offers an uplifting range of diverse sounds which can be custom fit to any venue or party. But don't be misled, gigglejuice is more than a collection of musicians or musical styles. It is a frame of mind, a state of being, a philosophy to live one's life by.

Jen Taylor and Alien Folk Music

Live and local, and so good! 

Jen Taylor and Alien Folk Music

VOICE of the CITY! Live with Lauren Angelli, followed by Cherry Sparks and Sympetalous.

WESU 88.FM Middletown

"As a songwriting musician, Lauren Agnelli has explored many styles of American popular music throughout her wide-ranging career, writing and co-writing hundreds of songs, recording dozens of cds. In 2010, Lauren writes and performs with the Small Town Concert Series that she co-founded with her husband, Matthew Male, in 2007. She also performs solo, with co-writer Dave Rave, and with Amalgamated Muck. She’s been part of CBGB’s punk posters out of CBGB’s, Nervus Rex ; a co-founder of Grammy-nominated Washington Squares; an acoustic folkrocker with the half-Canadian Agnelli & Rave with Dave "Rave" DesRoches." Lauren Agnelli Blog 

For more about Lauren visit her officail website: Lauren Agnelli

Cherry Sparks, the heart of J-Cherry and the Strawberries. The talented Mr. Sparks is a musical and lyrical man, and Ms. Cherry is a soulful lyricist and mouth harp player.

Cherry Sparks

Poet Sympetalous, the man of poetic words and verse... 

Sympetalous, photo by Bumpy Chimes

WESU 88.1FM Middletown 

VOICE of the CITY with Two Virgins!

Two Virgins

The Two Virgins rocked WESU 88.1 FM on VOICE of the CITY recorded live with J-Cherry  

CLICK HERE to LISTEN to the show

Two Virgins was recorded at Coffeehouse Recording Studio on the Coffeehouse Records Label.

Find them on FB 

"Wrann and Mooney began writing songs together twenty years ago after having been involved in several other projects. One of those rare musical connections was formed.“They are the classic song
 writing pair, like Lennon and McCartney,” says Mike Arafeh, owner of  Coffeehouse Records, Coffeehouse Recording Studio on 510 Main St. in Middletown. 

Arafeh recalls listening to the duo’s songs on his way home from work twenty years ago. Despite the dozens of local artists he was working with at the time, he was taken aback by the quality, and variety of what he heard. He immediately brought Wrann and Mooney into the recording studio, and has produced them under the Coffeehouse label ever since. Since then they have amassed a catalogue three to four hundred songs in depth." ADAM DURSO,  Middletown Press

Two Virgins

You Can't Drive Down the Road In Reverse

The Rhythm is in the KISS

Phill Bullaro, Space Monster

Happy Birthday Rich!

Steve Far, Consumers' Lament

Tim Sparks, Long Lonley Night

Sympetalous!

Adam Anderson

The Rhythm is in the KISS!

J-Cherry and the Strawberries, at the Buttonwood Tree

TONIGHT at 6:30, WESU 88.1FM Middletown on VOICE of the CITY: Two Virgins LIVE! This ain't no commercial radio!

J-Cherry and the Strawberries, Jen Taylor and Alien Folk Music, Special guest Adam Anderson... Friday night August 26th, at 8PM. The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown!

Join J-Cherry and the Strawberries for a soulful blend of poetry, blues and roots music; with Jen Taylor and Alien Folk Music, for a unique blend of gypsy hip-hop kirtan. With special guests, Adam Anderson opening the show. It will be a inspiring night of original music straight from the heart… From two unique bands like no other!

ADAM ANDERSON!

Adam Anderson

Adam Anderson is a multi-talented musician. A native of Connecticut, he started playing music as a child. Tune into hear Adam on WESU 88.1FM, VOICE of the CITY, http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCity_623

J-CHERRY and the STRAWBERRIES! 

J-Cherry, Tim Sparks, Rich Hatfield, photography by Bumpy Chimes

“Energy engulfed The Buttonwood Tree Saturday night when opening act J-Cherry and the Strawberries took to the stage and played to a house that overflowed the music room and spilled out into the library. A local artist with a passion for music, lead singer J-Cherry,  a.k.a. Jennifer Shafer Wood, plays her own soulful style of blues, poetry, and funk surrounded by an ethereal musical background.” David Geller

 http://middletown-ct.patch.com/articles/sparks-j-cherry-light-up-the-night

Listen to J-Cherry and the Strawberries recorded live at WESU 88.1FM on VOICE of the CITYhttp://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveOnWesu88.1fmJ-cherryAndTheStrawberries

J-Cherry and the Strawberries, photography by Bumpy chimes

J-Cherry and her ethereal band of Strawberries will take you on a heartfelt journey through music and poetry. As a group this band interweaves music and poetry into a cornucopia of life’s experiences. The Strawberries will also entertain you with original music and poetry as each one is spotlighted and backed up by the rest of the band. It’s a Cherry in a wild patch of Strawberries!

J-Cherry and the Strawberries at VOICE of the CITY, Buttonwood Tree

JEN TAYLOR and ALIEN FOLK MUSIC!

Alien Folk Music

Alien Folk Music is singer/songwriter Jen Taylor's eclectic mix of heartbreaking to hilarious originals, her songs morph from questions on when the aliens might be coming to get her to musings on the ugly/beauty of a garden in autumn. Taylor plays a mean ukulele, Justin Good accompanies on gypsy-jazz guitar, Hans Lohse plays accordion and percussion, and Chris Brown is arguably the best-looking stand-up bass player on the radio. Their sound is unique and unforgettable.

And did we mention Taylor hula hoops and plays guitar over her head?

Jen Taylor

Listen to Alien Folk Music recorded live at WESU 88.1FM on VOICE of the CITY, 

http://www.archive.org/details/J-cherryPresentsVoiceOfTheCity_896

Jen Taylor at VOICE of the CITY, Buttonwood Tree

WESU 88.1FM, VOICE of the CITY, live with Skully Skullbones

Skully Skullbones

Skully Skullbones is a singer/songwriter.  He purchased his first guitar as a teenager with a passion to play. Inspired by Jimmy Page to learn the 12 string guitar, he is now an accomplished artist... a master of the 12 string. His songs are dramatic poetry. Energized and fused with lyrical truths about the ups and downs of life, "You need to show up every day and do what you do, because there's only one you," Skully Skullbones.

Skully Skullbones and Tim Sparks

Listen to the show recorded live at WESU 88.1FM, Middletown: http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveOnWesu88.1fmSkullySkullbones

WESU 88.1FM Transmitter

To hear more of Skully Skullbones music visit his site at reverbnation http://www.reverbnation.com/skullyskullbones

Skully Skullbones

VOICE of the CITY! Live with Joshua Paul singer/songwriter, Kenneth Lundquist Jr

J-Cherry interviews the talented Joshua Paul, singer-songwriter, followed by an interview Kenneth Lundquist Jr about the Connecticut Ferry and its scheduled closure, productions at the Essex Steam Train, and his up and coming album.  Follow the link to hear the show recorded live at WESU 88.1FM, Middletown:

http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveOnWesu88.1fmJoshuaPaulAndKennethLundquist

Joshua Paul has been playing acoustic guitar and singing since age 14. Now 23 and newly transplanted to Middletown, CT he is exploring music like never before with his new project The Haymarket Affair.Joshua will be playing at 70 Main Street Coffee House in East Hampton on August 27th at 8PM.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/70-Main-Coffee-House-Art-Gallery/146105882093840

 "Kenneth Lundquist, Jr. is a destinal Renaissance man of impeccability. His creation, manifestation, venture, exhibition, lecture, direction, participation, and philosophy has contributed to the new era of cultural actuality."

For more about Kenneth follow the link  http://www.kljinc.com/

VOICE of the CITY on WESU 88.1FM, Special guest Poet C.C. Arshagra, Professor John Shafer of MXCC

Last week on VOICE of the CITY, Broad Street Books Poet of the Month, C.C. Arshagra, and Professor John Shafer of Middlesex Community College talking with J-Cherry about the Connecticut Ballet and other arts and cultural events at MXCC. J-Cherry and the Strawberries live in the house with Tim Sparks and his original music, poet Sympetlous with his words.... J-Cherry sings and recites original music and poetry

It's live and local arts and culture! Listen to the recorded show online here:

http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveOnWesu88.1fm

Poet C.C. Arshagra

"The beginning of every high point in my life is the most wonderful ending that the coming of tomorrow could bring." The Fool I Am --C.C. Arshagra. 

To hear some of C.C. Arshagra's work visit the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko0nJPUcoGE

Sympetalous

J-Cherry and the Strawberries at Space Monster, Filmed by Bumpy Chimes

Just One More Before I go.... 

J-Cherry and the Strawberries Live on WESU 88.1FM with Special Guest Cocomo Rock

J-Cherry interviews the fabulous Cocomo Rock of 191914 Ministries, and Writers Out Loud. Followed by a live Strawberry Jam... Listen to the show recorded on WESU 88.1FM.

J-Cherry has some technical difficulties while getting Cocomo on the phone coupler, and the Strawberries improvise to make the Cocomo Song! Live radio in real time! All natural...
http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityLiveWithCocomoRock

Cocomo Rock photo from Middletown Press

To find out more about Cocomo Rock, 191914 Ministries, and Writers Out Loud Visit: http://www.191914.com/

WESU VOICE of the CITY! Live with Kristin Zhea, and David G. Smith

Join J-Cherry on WESU's VOICE of the CITY as she interviews Kristin Zhea, a talented singer/songwriter who has just released her first single, "Lighthouse". Followed by an interview with the soulful singer songwriter, David G. Smith who just released his album, Non Fiction. Both artists on different points in their musical journey each share a gift for  poetic songwriting. Listen to the show recorded live at WESU 88.1FM. http://www.archive.org/details/VoiceOfTheCityWithSpecialGuestsKristinZheaAndDavidG.Smith

"A twinkle in her eyes, petite songstress Kristin Zhea (pron. “zee”) is turning heads as she bounces across the stage. Fusing story-telling country music undertones with upbeat piano-pop balladry, Kristin Zhea's music sticks to the eardrums and inspires listeners with its lyrical honesty ..."http://www.kristinzhea.com/fr_splash.cfm

"Some say life is a journey. Smith’s path as a songwriter has been a straight shot; on the other hand, his path as an artist has been a circuitous one. With several cuts to his credit as a songwriter, and after a long hiatus, David G Smith is resuming his life as an artist with his new release “Non-Fiction”." http://heydavemusic.com/fr_home.cfm

 Kristin Zhea