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Henry Franklin, "Skipper," got his start with Roy Ayers in a Latin jazz group while still in high school. He was recruited by Hugh Masekela for an album which produced "Grazing in the Grass," and took him to Woodstock as well as the Monterey Pop Festival. He's worked as a sideman with many, and has 28 (or so) albums under his own name.On the next KVC-Arts David Fleming speaks with Skipper about one of the most recent — one which earned him a NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Jazz record — instrumental. SUCH a great disc! We'll also hear about one that was a bit of an avant-garde piece, yet still QUITE cool to listen to. We'll touch briefly as well on his time with Stevie Wonder.But it's mostly jazz; and jazz in this area! Skipper still lines up the musicians for Pierce Street Jazz, a free concert series at La Sierra University. A variety of types of jazz presented, with known players who are in the region (they're all OVER the place). AND more!

David Fleming speaks with Henry Franklin about his long history in the world of jazz, as well as major crossover success with Hugh Masekela (“Grazing in the Grass” et al.), which took him to Woodstock as well as The Monterey Pop Festival. We'll hear about his first release, his latest, and a lot in between.

David Fleming speaks with Michelle Dowd, author of "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult: a Memoir." Each chapter begins with a plant you can find in the mountain wilderness, and the ways to use it for food. Each chapter then goes on to tell the story of Michelle Dowd, and the Angeles National Forest cult in which she was raised. The cult was started by her grandfather, known to all as the last prophet. He would not die, but rather live to be 500 and lead the organization through the impending apocalypse. The story is told from the perspective of Michelle — as a 7-year-old, growing into her teenage years — when she would eventually leave. More on the book at https://www.michelledowd.org. Michelle's on Instagram @MichelleDowdZ as well as MDowd.Substack.com. The books are available in hardback, paperback, Kindle and Audio anywhere books are sold, including Amazon.

Jonathan Karrant has been on KVC-Arts several times now, and with several upcoming performances in our region, David Fleming has re-packaged his first interview with Jonathan. This serves as a wonderful introduction to a man with impeccable discs, and a phenomenal onstage delivery of story through song.

David Fleming speaks with Emilio Castillo, one of the founding and current members of Tower of Power. We'll get a bit of history — including a drastic change in not only their material, but their look as well. There's also some song specific material and more.

David Fleming speaks once again with John Cafiero, of Osaka Popstar. We'll hear about the all-inclusive website, osakapostar.com, as well as a live disc, and other artistic collaborations and endeavors.

SUCH a pleasure to speak with John Cafiero! The first time I encountered him was when he produced "Dr. Demento Covered in Punk!" Presented as a radio program in two discs, it features classic Dr. Demento artists doing punk songs, along with punk bands performing Dr. Demento staples! SO good! One of the bands on Dr. Demento covered in Punk was Cafiero's band, Osaka Popstar ... and I quickly became a big fan! I interviewed John again when he released Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk, along with a REALLLLLLY cool EP, Ear Candy, containing the Osaka Popstar amped up but true to the original take on "I Think I Love You," "Sugar, Sugar," and more. We spoke again quite recently to talk about a comic he and his wife produce, Sweetie Candy Vigilante, and the Osaka Popstar release of the tune go along with Volume 2 Issue #3, coming in June, I believe. The song is an Osaka Popstar'd take on an old children’s song we once got from Rosemary Clooney!?!

David Fleming continues his conversation with Michelle Dowd, author of "Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult: a Memoir." This is the story of Michelle, told from her perspective ... as a little girl growing into her teens. She grew up in a cult started by her grandfather, who was seen as the last prophet, and would lead them after surviving the apocalypse. More at https://www.michelledowd.org.

KVC-Arts #500!From David Fleming: I’ve spoken with Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Al Pitrelli quite a few times by now, and it’s always 90% or more TSO, and then just a glimpse at some of his past, with some REALLY cool music and experiences there. I finally asked him if we could do a NON-Trans-Siberian Orchestra interview sometime, to which he agreed… and then he agreed again to make that a rather lengthy interview to be used for show number 500. He agreed before I could even finish asking.We started with his work with Randy Coven. Maybe around age 22 or so, Pitrelli played 2nd guitar on one of the tracks for Coven's "Funk Me Tender." By the 2nd Coven release, "Sammy Says Ouch," it was solidly a three-piece band (with guests), with Coven, Pitrelli, and John O'Reilly at the core. They recognized that by the third release, and instead of calling it The Randy Coven Band, then naming the cd, it was simply called CPR. The CPR release is mostly instrumental, though one of the two songs include Stevie Wonder's "I Wish," with the mighty Zakk Wylde on vocals. You can find a video of this easily enough on YouTube by the way. It clearly comes from an old VHS tape which was starting to stretch out, but it's SO much fun, and beyond vocals, Wylde really burns it up on the final guitar solo (of course). A reference point: For Wylde, this would be the year after Ozzy’s “No More Tears,” and a couple years before his bands Pride & Glory and Black Label Society.This is the next KVC-Arts - Sunday October 15th at 6 pm PST, and Tuesday the 17th at 2 and 6:30 pm PST. Streaming live at kvcrnews.org, and locally at 91.9 FM.We spoke at such length exploring the non-Trans-Siberian Orchestra side of Al, that there’ll be a special one hour KVC-Arts Saturday October 21st at 7 pm PST. More funk and fusion, some Alice Cooper, Dee Snider, Morning Wood (a wonderful acoustic project), Asia, and touching quite lightly on Savatage and TSO. I could've easily included more Savatage and TSO, as well as Megadeth, but after the 50-minute mark I started leaning more toward sounds or bands of which people are not (or less) aware.

From David Fleming: The celebration of KVC-Arts #500 continues!You've easily read something similar on a previous post or three. Every time I speak with Al Pitrelli (Music Director for, and one of the lead guitarist with, Trans-Siberian Orchestra), we're speaking about TSO's upcoming tour. Also every time, if I have 3, 5, 12 minutes left, I'll ask for a quick mention of one part or another of Al's extensive and varied career. Last time we spoke I just finally asked if we could do a NON-Trans-Siberian Orchestra at some point, to which he agreed. We not only arranged for such an interview, but it was also set to go for an extended length of time to be used for KVC-Arts #500. I was hoping for an hour... I closed at an hour and a half.Last KVC-Arts we heard primarily about Pitrelli's work with Randy Coven. Tonight we have a special one-hour edition of the program talking about music from, or his work with - get ready - Alice Cooper (where I ask if one of his most searing and soulful solos was, well, a segue), Dee Snider & Widowmaker, Asia, Morning Wood, lightly on Savatage, a bit of session work, a REALLY cool grouping with O'2L, touching only SLIGHTLY on TSO, and one more from his work with Randy Coven...I skipped over Megadeth, and other Savatage and TSO material...I'm sure there's some material in there I've forgotten to mention, but I can say confidently that the first half hour has (for the most part) more of the hard rock kinda stuff, and the second half more acoustic material. This was a FUN one to assemble!