If you take a minute and read my bio here, you'll see that I've been blessed with a wide variety of experiences in this industry. Over the past few years, I've been working on what to do in the next phase of my 30-plus year radio career.  As it turns out, my bosses here at the radio ranch had been thinking the same.

They know about my love of radio shows, to be sure, but also my love of business and helping businesses succeed. In early March, we all got together to create a brand new and unique opportunity for me here.

I've moved into full-time sales for Cities 97 and our sibling station, KOOL 108 - while at the same time, I'll be hosting some fun and well known programs on Cities 97.

My move to sales is already in place, and I'm having a blast. Doing outreach to the community and businesses in the Twin Cities has always been a part of what I do, and now I can work more directly with business owners and decision makers to move their needles in a positive direction.

And now I'm your regular host for "Acoustic Sunrise" every Sunday morning here, and its companion evening show "Acoustic Sunset." Not to mention other specialty programs that will happen along the way - for example, our St. Pat's Day bash from Studio C which Brian Oake and I co-hosted.


Speaking of, my dear friend Brian Oake took over the reins of the Morning Show on April 16th. We've been friends and colleagues for more than 20-years, and you know from his time here on the afternoon program something I don't need to tell you: he's one of the most kind and talented radio hosts there is. And he's joined by another friend of mine - and one that will soon be yours - musician Keri Noble. She's a remarkable songwriter, singer and piano player, and her talents on the air match those that she's been bringing to music fans for years now.

Change is always a challenge. And when you embrace it, change can be an extremely positive thing. It's all good here. See you on Sundays!

Music -
The Decemberists' We All Raise Our Voices to the Air (Live Songs 04.11-08.11) features live versions of songs from each of their albums.

Delta Spirit's self-titled third album features the single "California."

Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood teams up with composer Krzysztof Penderecki for a series of classical pieces on this self-titled release.

Caetano Veloso and David Byrne: Live at Carnegie Hall features Byrne and the Brazilian musician collaborating on each other's songs.

Movies –

The Descendants is new to DVD and Blu-ray today. George Clooney was up for an Oscar for playing a man who must reconnect with his daughters after his cheating wife goes into a coma. Shailene Woodley (from TV's The Secret Life of the American Teenager), Amara Miller and Nick Krause co-star. Extras include deleted scenes and the featurettes "Everybody Loves George," "Working With Alexander," "The Real Descendants," "Casting," "Working With Water," and "Hawaiian Style."

My Week With Marilyn stars Michelle Williams in an Oscar-nominated account of Marilyn Monroe's tumultuous time making the movie The Prince and the Showgirl. It co-stars fellow Oscar-nominee Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Ormond and Dougray Scott. It comes with commentary and the featurette "The Untold Story of an American Icon."

In the 3D motion-capture film The Adventures of Tintin, a young reporter and his pet dog seek ancient treasure. Featuring the voices of Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Directed by Steven Spielberg. It comes with the featurettes "The Journey of Tintin and Snowy: From Beginning to End," "The Who's Who of Tintin," "Tintin: The Score," and "Collecting Tintin."

A dancing penguin and his son must free penguins trapped by ice in the animated sequel Happy Feet Two, with the voices of Elijah Wood, Pink, Robin Williams, Sofia Vergara, Hank Azaria, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Common. Extras include the featurettes "Helping Penguins and Pals," "How to Draw a Penguin," and "Running with Boadicea," an animated Looney Tunes short featuring Tweetie and Sylvester, and an app for the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch.

In Young Adult, Charlize Theron returns to her hometown to reclaim her happily
married high-school sweetheart. The dramedy co-stars Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson and Elizabeth Reaser. It comes with deleted scenes, commentary and the featurettes "The Awful Truth: Deconstructing a Scene," and "Misery Loves Company: The Making of Young Adult."

In The Three Musketeers, D'Artagnan joins three rogue Musketeers to stop seizure of the French throne, and war in Europe. The period-action piece stars Matthew Macfadyen, Logan Lerman, Luke Evans and Ray Stevenson, along with Orlando Bloom, Milla Jovovich and Christoph Waltz. Extras include deleted and extended scenes, cast-and-crew stories, commentary, and the featurette "17th Century Action."
In Melancholia, a cosmic collision causes a countdown to life on Earth for Kirsten Dunst, Alexander Skarsgard, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland, Charlotte Rampling, John Hurt and Stellan Skarsgard. It comes with cast interviews, a behind the scenes featurette, and a making-of featurette.

A good friend to the show for years now, Joe Spencer is the Arts & Culture Liaison for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. Fancy schmancy title, to be sure, but the bottom line on Joe's gig is that he tries to make fun stuff happen in the Capital City. He fills us in on all things St. Paul every Friday, so if you're looking for weekend fun on the east side of the river - you'll find it here!

 030912- Joe Spencer

"Insolvent" @ Big Table Studio - Opens Saturday
check out this recommendation from our friends at L'etoile
magazine...Let the allure of printmaking draw you in for the opening
night of "Insolvent," a collaboration of the work of 12 artists
exploring today's economic hardships. The work cleverly approaches the
meaning of hard times and pinching pennies through the perspectives of
national and international artists. Prints of faux run-down business
signs and silly coupons offering air are only a couple prints among the
witty bunch. Look for erratic prints by Jonathan McFadden and dark,
mysterious prints by Faye Passow. Solvency, an issue among printmakers
trying to avoid potentially lethal products, is also described among the
work, bringing attention to their effects on those passionate for their
results. Motörik Arts promoter Erik Farseth teamed up with Big Table
Studio to create this three-week exhibition, beginning at today's
opening from 7 to 10 p.m. with music from Jim and the French Vanilla.

BNLX and Two Harbors at the Turf - Saturday night

Beaker and a Brush @ Amsterdam on Tuesday
Each month an artist and a scientist come together at Amsterdam to
discuss with the community a variety of topics with an artist and a
scientist. Grab a drink, grab some food, and join in on the discussion!
Discover the art of the perfect meal and the chemistry behind taste!
Join Chef Doug Flicker from Piccolo Restaurant in Minneapolis and Dr.
Gary Reineccius, food scientist at the University of Minnesota as we
explore the marriage of science and art in gourmet cuisine. Expertly
paired with a group discussion, this is sure to be a feast for the
intellect.
Also at Amsterdam this week:
Very Small Animal CD Release - Friday night
Le Cirque Rouge Cabaret & Burlesque Show - Saturday Night
also KFAI DJ, Larry England spins classic soul for Happy Hour's Funky  -
Friday

Saint Patricks Day warm up with Gaelic Storm at the Fitzgerald Theater -
Friday 4
Gaelic Storm is back in full-force with their newest album, Cabbage. The
record held the #1 position on the Billboard World Music Album Chart for
3 consecutive weeks in 2010. The album is the follow up to their 2008
independent release, What’s The Rumpus? which debuted at #1 on the
Billboard World Chart. As many hundreds of thousands of record buyers
and live music lovers know, Gaelic Storm is “a whirlwind ruckus”
(Village Voice) that tours over two hundred days per year and play
high-energy, foot-stomping, feel-good music. Cabbage is further
testament to the bands contagious energy, combining influences from
rock, bluegrass, Jamaican, African and Middle Eastern music that may
surprise those expecting purely traditional Celtic music. The quintet’s
new release once again showcases Gaelic Storm’s signature acoustic sound
with a brand new batch of crafted story-songs and driving instrumentals.

Also - the Boys High School Hockey Tournament

Honeydogs frontman Adam Levy joined Jason this morning to talk about the new album What Comes After, as well as the tragedy of loss.

 030912- Adam Levy of Honeydogs

Music -
Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball includes two songs -- the title track and "Land of Hope and Dreams" -- that have been out before on live releases.


Blues Traveler's two-disc collection 25 includes their hits and rarities, as well as a newly recorded cover of Sublime's "What I Got."

Paul McCartney's iTunes webcast, Kisses on the Bottom at Capitol Studios, is now available as an iTunes-only EP.

Also in stores are Andrew Bird's Break It Yourself and Tyrone Wells's Where We Meet.

Movies -
Footloose is new to DVD and Blu-ray today. Dancing comes to a small conservative town in the remake with Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell. It comes with commentary and the featurettes "Jump Back: Re-Imagining Footloose," "Everybody Cut: The Stars of Footloose," "Dancing With the Footloose Stars," and a music video by Blake Shelton.

Adam Sandler smashed the Razzie nomination record as Hollywood's worst with Jack & Jill. Sandler plays dual roles in the comedy about a sister who visits her identical twin brother. It co-stars fellow dis-honorees Katie Holmes, Nick Swardson, Tim Meadows, David Spade and Norm MacDonald. Extras include deleted scenes, a blooper reel and the featurettes "Laughter Is Contagious," "Look Who Stopped By" and "Boys Will Be Girls."

In Like Crazy, British and American students have an ill-fated love affair. It stars Anton Yelchin (Star Trek), Felicity Jones and Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games). It comes with deleted and alternate scenes.

An army out to topple the gods of Olympus devastates ancient Greece in Immortals with Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans), Henry Cavill (from TV's The Tudors), Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire), Mickey Rourke and Twilight's Kellan Lutz. Extras include deleted scenes, an alternate opening, two alternate endings and the featurettes "It's No Myth," "Caravaggio Meets Fight Club: Tarsem's Vision" and "Immortals: Gods & Heroes."

A good friend to the show for years now, Joe Spencer is the Arts & Culture Liaison for St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. Fancy schmancy title, to be sure, but the bottom line on Joe's gig is that he tries to make fun stuff happen in the Capital City. He fills us in on all things St. Paul every Friday, so if you're looking for weekend fun on the east side of the river - you'll find it here!

Wrestlers take over skyways - you can't help but notice all of the high school kids with cauliflower ear in downtown Saint Paul this week.  If you see folks trying to navigate their way through - welcome them to the Capital City and offer to help them find their way around.

 030212- Joe Spencer

Larry Yazzie at SteppingStone Rainbow-colored headdresses, pulsating drumming, and fancy footwork are part of the excitement of a Native American powwow. World Champion Fancy Dancer Larry Yazzie and the Native Pride Dancers perform flamboyant movements passed down by their ancestors and sacred songs from the
Northern Plains.
Enjoy the beauty, athleticism, and majesty of the Fancy Dance, featuring
freestyle movement with focused energy, dance regalia, and traditional
songs from the Northern Plains. Enhanced by indigenous vocal and flute
music, other dances like the Buffalo, Eagle, Hoop, and Round Dances
celebrate various animals, crops, the sun, and the wind.

Rollergirls - Assault on Nice:  MN Rollergirls Allstars vs. Montreal
Featuring half-time entertainment by Beatles cover band, A Hard Day’s
Night.  GET A BLACK EYE OR SHOW YOUR TEAM SPIRIT
Get old fashioned black eyes for a buck at our Black Eye Booth ... OR
support your favorite home team for just a $2 donation. (Kids always
free!) If you think we’ve done an exceptional job, a more generous
donation is always appreciated.  All proceeds go to Highwood Hills
Elementary School.

Small Cities, No Bird Sing, and Zoo Animal at Amsterdam
On Saturday, we’ve got CD release in the hall stage. Small Cities is
celebrating a new disc with our very own Holly Newsome (of Zoo Animal)
and the energetic No Bird Sing.Doors are at 8pm. Cover is $7.

My Mother's Jewish Lesbian Wican Wedding at Minnesota Jewish Theater
Company.
Claire is a 37-year old divorced mother from Nebraska who has moved to
Canada for a university teaching position. Her son, David, soon joins
her, and as she discovers a new life as a single mom, lesbian, and
Jewish woman, David’s journey takes him through his teen years into
adulthood. This true story embraces the realities of today’s world in a
joyful new musical comedy that takes a look at equality, same sex
marriage, and the changing American family.

Coco's Diary at History Theater
Young Clotilde “Coco” Irvine, is the daughter of a lumber baron living
in a fashionable Summit Avenue mansion during the Jazz Age. For
Christmas she is given a diary in which she faithfully chronicles the
ups and downs of the rollercoaster that is her thirteenth year of life,
1927. Coco’s Diary leads audiences on a winsome romp alongside our
smart, adventurous, mischievous heroine surrounded by the beguiling
music of the 1920s. It is charming, funny and delightful entertainment
for the entire family.

Lori Dokken and Erin Schwab at Town House - Sat nights
This standing gig at Saint Paul's oldest queer bar is not to be
overlooked just because it happens on a regular basis.  their poster
boasts that its different show each week - which is obvious if you've
ever seen these two hilarious performers.  The Town House is an
institution in our fare city, yet I know I have a lot of friends who've
never been.  If you are in that camp - get yourself over there and check
out a terrific show on Saturday nights.

Man, this one is just great!



Oake and I were chatting about this video and the Gotye videos that are out now, among other, and just how much creativity so many artists are putting into their screen efforts. Kind of reminds us of the early (or earlier, at any rate) days of MTV and VH1, when the transition occured that moved videos away from the mini-concert films of bands and artists just playing their songs to the camera - to the groups putting together mini-movies with their own visual narrative and subtextual messages. Oh my god...I'm getting all film class geeky now. Please forgive me...