Little Apple Jazz Festival 2011

Community Bridge opens this week with Beth Bailey and Ben Hopper, Union Program Council, along with musician CJ Manning for a preview of this year’s Little Apple Jazz Festival. At about half past the hour, Ashley Long, Lindsay and James Thompson of the Riley County Humane Society join us in studio to discuss the work of the organization and how people can support it.

2011 Little Apple Jazz Festival Line-Up
5:00 - 6:00 pm KC Youth Jazz Band
6:00 - 6:30 pm Barefoot Dixieland Band
6:30 - 7:00 pm Kelly McCarty Band
7:00 - 8:00 pm Pablo Sanhueza Latin Jazz Trio
8:00 - 9:00 pm Steven Richard Band
9:00 - 9:30 pm Swing Machine, a KSU Jazz combo
9:30 - 10:45pm CJ Manning and Company

Related Links:

Our Animal Selves, Linda Hogan, YES! Magazine, March 9, 2011.

10 Best Things We Can Do For Animals, Jane Goodall, YES! Magazine, March 31, 2011.

What’s So Special About Humans?, James Trimarcom YES! Magazine, April 13, 2011.

How Happy Was Your Meal?, Madeline Ostrander, YES! Magazine, March 27, 2011.

June 16 - Obama and the Gays

In our second hour we first hear about what programs are available for young and old alike at the Manhattan Arts Center this summer with Amanda Hedrick. Then we hear from singer-songwriter Jeremiah Clark about his music. Clark will be in concert in Manhattan on June 25th. Due to work conflicts, our discussion of the Koch brothers with Mark Ames and Mike Elk has had to be rescheduled. Instead we will hear from Progressive Radio as Matthew Rothschild interviews editor and author Tracy Baim about her book “Obama and the Gays: a Political Marriage.”

Additional Links/Articles:

Manhattan Arts Center

Jeremiah Clark Music

Windy City Times

Obama and the Gays: a Political Marriage

Obama and the Gays - Book Salon Review at FireDogLake

Obama administration calls on United Nations to support gay rights, Julie Mianecki. Los Angeles Times, March 23, 2011.

Obama, gay marriage, the constitution and the Crackerjack prize, Michael Tomasky, The Guardian UK, February 24, 2011.

UN Rights Council Passes 'Historic' Gay Rights Bill, Hui Min Neo, Common Dreams, June 17, 2011.

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The Future of the Arts in Kansas

On May 29th, Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law the $13.8 billion state budget, and as expected he line-item vetoed funding of the Kansas Arts Commission.

In February, Brownback had issued an order to eliminate the Arts Commission as a cost-cutting move and replace it with a private, nonprofit foundation. The plan brought widespread opposition with supporters of the commission saying it was needed to lure federal arts dollars and provide important programs in local communities. The Kansas Senate rejected Brownback’s order and both the House and Senate agreed to fund the commission at $689,000 for the year. Even so, Brownback earlier this month issued layoff notices to the commission’s staff of five employees.

In his veto message to the Legislature, Brownback said, “In difficult fiscal times such as these, the state must prioritize how to spend its limited resources and focus its attention on providing core services. The arts will continue to thrive in Kansas when funded by private donations, and I intend to personally involve myself in efforts to make this happen.”
Sam Brownback has cost the State of Kansas over $1.2 million by vetoing the funding for the Kansas Arts Commission.

We take up the question of the future of the arts in Kansas with: Llewellyn Crain, Kansas City Symphony; Jay Nelson, Kansas Arts Commissioner; Henry Schwaller, chairman of the Kansas Arts Commission; Penny Senften, Director, Manhattan Arts Center.

Related Links/Articles:

Kansas Citizens for the Arts on Facebook.

Kansas Arts Movement on Facebook.

Fallacies of the Kansas Veto, Jonathan Katz, Executive Director, National Assembly of State Art Agencies, June 2011.

Reactions to the demise of the Kansas Arts Commission, Ian David Moss, Createquity, June 6, 2011.

State’s balanced budget could force local governments to increase taxes or cut services, Scott Rothschild, Lawrence Journal World, June 5, 2011.

'Falling backwards': Lawrence artists react to Kansas Arts Commission closing, Sarah Henning, Lawrence Journal World, June 5, 2011

Moderation wanes in Kansas as Brownback off to fast start, John Hanna, Associate Press, Lawrence Journal World, June 4, 2011.

Governor names arts chairman, pledges funding, Hawver's News Company, June 3, 2011.

Open letter to Kansas governor Sam Brownback, Laura Zabel, Minnesota Playlist, June 1, 2011.

Art's Ax, editorial, Lawrence Journal World, June 1, 2011

Americans for the Arts criticizes Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto of Kansas Arts Commission funding, John Hanna, Associate Press, Lawrence Journal World, May 31, 2011.

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Arts in the Park and Flint Hills Pride 2011

In our second hour this week we first hear about the line up for this year’s Arts in the Park Series with Ashley Penner from the City of Manhattan's Park and Recreation Department. Then Kevin Stilley joins us to discuss the activities planned for this year’s Flint Hills Pride event that will be held at Milford Lake on June 11th. Finally we close out with a clip from Truthdig radio featuring Bill Moyers about the state of US media.

Related Links:

Stonewall Uprising on PBS.

Rule of the Rich, Bill Moyers, The Progressive, February 2011.

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August 5 Pt 2 - Exploring The Blues

During our second hour, following this week's Media Minutes, we take a look at the Blues with KSDB's Benjamin Detrixhe. Detrixhe hosts a speciality show on KSDB - Blues Power with Ben - dedicated to the Blues music genre. With Detrixhe spinning tunes, we will look at the historical development of this unique American musical form over the last century.

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An discussion with Rep. Rom Hawk

This week's Community Bridge opens with Rep. Tom Hawk in a discussion of the 2010 legislative session. At 45 past the hour, Beth Bailey, Assistant Director/Manager of Programs at the K-State Student Union, joins us to provide an overview of the Little Apple Jazz Festival that takes place July 17th in City Park.

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An Interview with Colony Collapse

In our second hour, we first hear this week's edition of "The Breakdown" with The Nation's DC Editor Christopher Hayes who brings in Kert Davies, research director for Greenpeace, to try to answer this week's question: Is BP unique in its ability to create catastrophe or is the entire practice of offshore oil drilling inherently and equally dangerous regardless of which company is running the rig?"

Then Taylor Holenbeck, Nathan Dixey, David Thomas and Trent Banks of Colony Collapse join us in studio to discuss their music, new CD, tour, and Colony Collapse Disorder - the pandemic affecting honey bees.

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Making Music with Kristie Stremel and Jessie Freyermuth

During our second hour we hear from area musicians Kristie Stremel and Jessie Feryermuth. Stremel is a Kansas City-based musician who will be playing at the Flint Hills Pride Festival in June and Feryermuth just finished her master degree here at K-State. Together they talk about their music and provide our listeners with a sample of their musical styles.

Community Bridge thanks the musicians for their permission to include their entire songs in this podcast. Further reproduction of their music in any form is strictly prohibited.

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Charles Schollenberger for Senate

Community Bridge welcomes back Charles Schollenberger, Democratic candidate for the US Senate, to discuss his positions on a variety of topics - economy, agriculture, and more - and how he offers Kansans an alternative to the Party of NO!

Following this week's Media Minutes, we welcome openly gay musician Tom Goss to the show. Goss will be in concert in Manhattan on April 24. He discusses his music and new projects including The Politics of Love - a broad curriculum that gives individuals the tools they need to teach marriage equality where they are. Perfect for college clubs, church congregations, high-school classrooms and even your home, The Politics of Love combines several components, (audio, video, powerpoint presentation, discussion points, handouts) that makes it possible to lead workshops and discussions with the click of a button.

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An Interview with Lisa Engelken

This week Community Bridge opens by rebroadcasting an interview of Michael Moore conducted by Tavis Smiley. Then following this week's Media Minutes we hear from the jazz singer Lisa Engelken about her new CD Caravan.

Lisa Engelken grew up on the Lone Pine Farm east of Corning up in Nemeha County. She graduated from Centralia High school and when on to get her BA and Master degrees from the University of Kansas.

Caravan features 10 of Engelken's fresh arrangements that breathe new life into jazz standards by Ellington, Porter, and Carmichael and boldly transforms contemporary tunes such as Billy Idol’s "White Wedding" and Joni Mitchell’s "Trouble Child" into the jazz idiom.

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