Hearing Voices- Radio Stories
This week’s HV cast for a hot Summer’s day— It is 120°. The birds and animals, and even insects hide. We hear the the words, thoughts and sounds of desert residents: writer Charles Bowden, the Tohono O’odham poet Ofelia Zepeda, and ambient composer Steve Roach, whose composition “Slow Heat” scores the piece. A story by Jeff Rice, “Heat- extended mix” (7:30 mp3):
This week’s HV cast for Independence Day— People with different regional, ethnic, and national accents recite and reflect upon the single-sentence, century-old poem “The Pledge of Allegiance.” A story by Barrett Golding, “The Pledge” (5:23 mp3):
This week’s HV cast starts Summer with some Mississippi moonshine, barbecued goat and the last of the old-time Fife & Drum picnics. A story by Ben Adair, “Otha Turner’s Picnic” (13:10 mp3):
Scott’s piece on “Sun Tunnels” (9:21) sculpture in the Utah desert runs this solstice week on The Nature Conservancy’s Nature Stories podcast:
This week’s HV cast is a Father’s Day ditty. Going in and out of cool, in syncopated time, a daughter and dad’s ever-changing relationship moves to the beat of a jazz standard. A story by Rebecca Flowers, “My Father’s Music” (mp3 6:30):
This week’s HV cast: The eerily beautiful music of moth wings. A tale of bat-detectors, beehive destruction and the intersection of insect and synthesizer. A story by Jeff Rice, “Moth Music” (mp3 3:02):
NPR has a new CD collection called The Declaration in Sound. Most of the tracks are NPR intervus and commentaries; ya know, Edwards, Krulwich, Stamberg and such on presidential drinking problems and Declaration of Independence quotes, like “Cruelty & Perfidy,” “of justice and of consanguinity,” and “merciless Indian Savages.”
But check track six. That one’s a masterpiece.
HV audio was all over pubradio last weekend. Jake Warga searched Ethiopia for “The Perfect Photo” on All Things Considered. On This American Life Scott Carrier, in Salt Lake City, watched “The Lake Effect” form as SLC mayor Rocky Anderson debated FOX New’s Sean Hannity.
I finished a bike “Trek through Yellowstone, Part 2” for Weekend America. “Part 1” was the weekend america before, as was Scott C’s “Steelhead Fishing” trip. And a final grand total of 384 stations broadcast our “For the Fallen” special.
Jake Warga’s hunt for “The Perfect Photo” in Ethiopia ran tonight on NPR All Things Considered. Here’s the slideshow:
Jake’s: site | videos.
This week’s HV cast is from the Song and Memory series. What song from your past brings back a strong memory? Kelly Kinsey tells us about a Beatles tune that takes her back. Produced by Ann Heppermann, Rick Moody & Kara Oehler, “Eleanor Rigby” (mp3 3:23):
This week’s HV cast: A woman’s song on the streets of Taipei, Taiwan, leads the producer to the outskirts of town, to climb the rock steps of the White Temple. There, high in the clouds, one hundred voices are singing a salutation to the Buddha. A story by Dmae Roberts, “”White Temple- Taiwan”” (mp3 1:51):
Went to visit my dad the other day at Massachusetts National Cemetery. Forgot to bring the Kaddish along to say over his grave, so I’ll say it here instead below. First, from This American Life, my radio “Kaddish” (3:27):
Mourner's Kaddish Yisgadal v'yiskadash sh'mei rabbaw (Cong. Amein). May His great Name grow exalted and sanctified (Cong. Amen.) B'allmaw dee v'raw chir'usei in the world that He created as He willed. v'yamlich malchusei,b'chayeichon, uv'yomeichon, May He give reign to His kingship in your lifetimes and in your days, uv'chayei d'chol beis yisroel, and in the lifetimes of the entire Family of Israel, ba'agawlaw u'vizman kawriv, v'imru: Amein. swiftly and soon. Now respond: Amen. (Cong: Amein. Y'hei sh'mei rabbaw m'vawrach l'allam u'l'allmei allmayaw) (Cong Amen. May His great Name be blessed forever and ever.) Y'hei sh'mei rabbaw m'vawrach l'allam u'l'allmei allmayaw. May His great Name be blessed forever and ever. Yis'bawrach, v'yishtabach, v'yispaw'ar, v'yisromam, v'yis'nasei, Blessed, praised, glorified, exalted, extolled, v'yis'hadar, v'yis'aleh, v'yis'halawl sh'mei d'kudshaw b'rich hu mighty, upraised, and lauded be the Name of the Holy One, Blessed is He (Cong. b'rich hu). (Cong. Blessed is He) L'aylaw min kol birchawsaw v'shirawsaw, beyond any blessing and song, tush'b'chawsaw v'nechemawsaw, da'ami'rawn b'all'maw, v'imru: Amein praise and consolation that are uttered in the world. Now respond: Amen. (Cong. Amein). (Cong. Amen). Y'hei shlawmaw rabbaw min sh'mayaw,v'chayim May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and life awleinu v'al kol yisroel, v'imru: Amein upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen. (Cong. Amein). (Cong. Amen). Oseh shawlom bim'ro'mawv, hu ya'aseh shawlom, He Who makes peace in His heights, may He make peace, awleinu v'al kol yisroel v'imru: Amein upon us and upon all Israel. Now respond: Amen. (Cong. Amein).
This week’s HV cast is for Mother’s Day. These days, taking mom out for a day-trip doesn’t involve going as far in distance, as it does back in time. Tybee Island, Georgia, now and in the 1920’s, as seen by Mrs. Massett. A story by Larry Massett, “Travels with Mom” (mp3 12:25):
This week’s HV cast is for Poetry Month. From his collection Various Atmospheres, Alex Caldiero performs “Poetry is Wanted Here” (mp3 2:58):
As head of the HV radio project, I’m always pleased to get such promising emails about ongoing productions — this one’s about Ann & Kara’s (w/ Rick Moody) Song & Memory series:
From: Ann Heppermann Subject: finally a fucking awesome story! Date: April 25, 2007 10:44:32 AM MDT To: Barrett Golding Cc: Kara Oehler Hey Barrett, We got a fucking awesome story from Anthony Bourdain about his most memorable song from childhood, 96 Tears. He told us how he lost his virginity to a stripper named Panama up in the Catskills. And pyrotechnics, and drugs... He actually said this phrase "This song...was a direct line to heroin." And not in a sad sappy kind of way, but, fuck yeah, i was going to be cooler than all you other kids. OK. we're just really excited. Later, ann and kara
This week’s HV cast is for Earth Day. The Administration moves beyond Hydrogen Powered Automobiles. Another experiment in the crytomusicology of Presidential Patter. Produced by Jesse Boggs, “Hydrogen People” (mp3 2:05):
This week’s HV cast is a father-daughter dialog for Poetry Month: Jack Kerouac’s daughter Jan, reads her an ode to her rarely seen dad; intertwined with Kerouac’s speeches and prose; produced by by . “Jan & Jack” (mp3 6:34):
This week’s HV cast is a Scott Carrier story about Fritz the dog. Fritz loves to play Frisbee. He still catches it most of the time, though not as much as he used to… before he went blind. “Blind Dog” (mp3 4:22):
A new HV story by Queena Kim airs this weekend on NPR Latino USA— Every Saturday, hundreds of Latino immigrants pilgrimage to Our Lady The Queen of the Angels, Los Angeles’ oldest mission Church, to get their baby’s baptized. The Church baptizes fifty babies an hour — more than three hundred every Saturday. Unlike other churches, Our Lady doesn’t require parents or godparents to take classes beforehand. All you do is sign-up. Abel Salas walks us through “the McDonald’s of Baptism.” (5:20 mp3):
This week’s HV cast is “Rocky Mountain High” (mp3), from the Song and Memory series, produced by Ann Heppermann, Rick Moody & Kara Oehler. Jeffery Carpenter explains the sectarian severance special connection to John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” (4:11):
(Also check WFMU’s X-rated John Denver.)