Best bet for Saturday, Jan. 14: See the magic of radio, up close and personal!

Dear Friends,

KMUZ - our new community radio station - is on the air at 88.5 FM and world-wide at www.kmuz.org!

Many of you have been following our progress and contributing in one or many ways.
Please stop by, see the studio and celebrate with us! We are located at the historic Mission Mill (1313 Mill St. SE) in Salem (on the grounds of the Willamette Heritage Center).

Saturday, January 14:

• 10 am-4 pm - studio tours
  
  
• 5 pm-7 pm - reception and celebration in the Dye House
  (beer, wine, treats, music and lots of thank you's)

A big Salem highlight for 2011: KMUZ Community Radio

Congratulations to the hearty and determined band of community-minded stalwarts who insisted, despite some pretty substantial evidence, that they could make a community radio station go here in "greater Salem."  Here are the heroes now:

KMUZ Board members, left to right, front row first: Karen McFarlane Holman (Chief Visionary and President), Dangerous Dave Hammock (Chief Cook, Bottlewasher, and Treasurer), Jeanine ("Sparkplug") Renne, Coy Alexander, Vicki Darden, Bill Smaldone, Melanie Zermer (Secretary), and Tim Patterson.  Superimposed on Coy’s T-shirt: Max Lindholm. Photo by Co Ho Graphics.

KMUZ's low-power license and Turner tower location means that it's not always reliably available at  88.5 fm throughout Salem, but it's easy and rewarding to pick it up anywhere in the world via webstreaming at KMUZ.org.

 

Celebrate KMUZ's arrival with fine music and food fundraiser today

Hello Friends:

As many of you know,  a number of hard-working people have been working to bring community radio to the mid-Valley.  We did it! 

We are broadcasting over 88.5 FM right now (Friday) for the next 7 days.  Please tune in on your car radio, as well as at home and let us know if and how well you are getting our signal.  You can respond to me at this address or make a comment on our FaceBook page.

If you want to celebrate this victory w/us this Sunday, Marc Nassar of Salem House Concerts is having a KMUZ fund raiser in his back yard.  4 pm for some of the best food you've  ever eaten and 5:30-ish for music.  Local acts are Bill Hughes w/Karen Dumont and Nathan Olson.  Headliner is Brian Cutean, trippy troubador guitar wonder.  $25 for dinner and show / $20 for show only.  Come anytime to 468 21st St. NE. For more information, contact Marc at: blueman@teleport.com.  You can learn more at: www.kmuz.org

Do or Die for community radio in Salem

If you want a locally-owned and run, community-powered, non-corporate radio station here in the Mid-Valley, better act now.

KMUZ has to either get on the air or lose the construction permit (that leads to a broadcast license) that they have worked so hard to get and fund. Get over there and help if you share the vision. Or resign yourself to the increasingly corporate-dominated KOPB.

KMUZ benefit -- August 28

SALEM HOUSE CONCERTS 2010
Presents

Second Annual
KMUZ 88.5 Backyard Bash Fundraiser

Featuring
Local/regional surprises and, straight from Austin, Texas… award winning
BETTY SOO

Dinner by Marc and Concert; Only $25 -- dinner and show (advance purchase advised)

Saturday, August 28, 2010
Garden opens 4:00 – Music 5 - 8 p.m.
A word from the host:

You have all told me how much fun the Backyard Bash is, and this last minute opportunity to create one opened up when I started listening to Betty Soo’s wonderful songwriting and delivery.

Her schedule allowed one date to have a show, and I thought I’d create an event, not just so Salem could get introduced to another fantastic songwriter, but also to raise money for KMUZ 88.5 Community radio, a unique resource that could help change the face of Salem in terms of both entertainment and public affairs!

The station is in its home stretch of fundraising to get a signal on the air by August 2011, and I think once they are on the air, everyone will see what a fantastic opportunity it is to share, promote, and create community over the airwaves, available to all, run by who care. Everyone, including Betty Soo involved with this event is kicking in something back to KMUZ, so join the community and thank Betty for taking less so that more can go to getting KMUZ on the air!!

Betty Soo is a rarity indeed. This second generation Korean-American born with a classic Southern name has taken it to heart and is turning heads and rising to the top of that amazing musical treasure trove that is Austin, winning songwriting awards in places like Kerrville New Folk, Wildflower Festival, and the Chautauqua Big Top songwriter of the year.

Her vocals are clear, pure, and artfully explore many of life’s questions and experiences. Sometimes there are no answers, but there sure are feelings and Betty Soo will bring you to that “ah ha!” moment over and over again, finding yourself thinking, “yes, I was there once.. “ or “I wondered the same thing about my last partner..." (hah!). She takes a look at what makes us tick, both in self discovery and in relationships, and presents her poetry in many accessible forms. She can alternatively rock it, have a bit of twang, deliver a sensitive emotional ballad, or create an edgy almost gritty atmosphere.. That her last album, “Heat, Sin, Water, Skin” was produced by Austin icon Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams, etc) speaks volumes. I think she will surprise and delight us all, and I am simply tickled that we will have a chance to hear her amongst the sunflowers, zinnia, allysum, cosmos, leeks and that from-scratch home cookin’ that Marc and some other chefs will dream up for you!!

DON’T JUST TAKE MY WORD FOR IT!

“Singer/songwriter BettySoo adds sweat-stained confidence to "Heat Sin Water Skin." You’re quickly reminded of the old “book jacket judgment” cliché when you first encounter BettySoo. The petite Korean-American erases any preconceptions the moment she opens her mouth. Her voice is big and expressionistic, sauntering across country-folk arrangements with beauty and wisdom that’s often breathtaking… she explores an earthy, sweat-stained style that recalls onetime Morlix protégé Lucinda Williams. The songs are accompanied by a raw, soul-baring honesty that’s quickly becoming BettySoo’s trademark.” – Chris Parker, Oklahoma Gazette

“If ‘Never the Pretty Girl’ isn’t already an anthem, it should be … Betty Soo isn’t likely to stay confined to a musical style. You can hear sprinklings of blues, soul, gospel and country topping her clear, melodic compositions. She’s already dispelled a few stereotypes. She might as well keep going.” - Mario Tarradell, Dallas Morning News.

“On her 2009 album Heat Sin Water Skin, Austin singer-songwriter Betty Soo has crafted beautiful, heart-wrenching songs that are also edgy and unwavering. That compelling voice sometimes comes as a surprise to Soo’s audiences. On stage, they see a tiny, five-foot frame from which emerges some powerful singing that’s gotten her comparisons to Joan Baez and Ruthie Foster. - Laurie Gallardo, Texas Music Matters.

“I first became privy to BettySoo at the Folk Alliance conference back in 2008, but her recent release Heat Sin Water Skin has been taking great strides to earn her air time on ever more speakers. Considering the amount of attention and praise the disc has earned for this Austin, Tex.-based singer-songwriter, she's likely to be a force in 2010.” - Kim Ruehl, About.com

Folkmusic (#2, Up-and-coming Folk and Americana Artists to Watch in 2010)
“… almost instantly, I was captivated by the voice and accompanying music emitting from my speakers. “Who was this woman?” … I was done for. She had lured me into her clutches with her silky smooth and seductive voice on the very first track, “Never Knew No Love” ... Great lyrics sung by a great vocalist accompanied by great musicians… You can tell after listening to this record that there was a lot of heart and soul poured into the production values. It shows on every track and why wouldn’t it? Gurf Morlix wasn’t just one of the musicians on the record, he also produced it… He takes it to a completely new level… he may have believed in this record almost as much as the artist…This is truly a great record… - Rod Ames, No Depression, the Roots Music Authority

Please join me for an afternoon of great food, community, and ACOUSTIC MAGIC!:

Who: Betty Soo and some LOCALS! – original contemporary music played with passion and beauty.
When: Saturday, August 28 Garden Opens 4:00pm music 5pm-ish to 8pm-ish
Where: Salem House Concerts - 468 21st NE Salem, OR 97301
Cost: $25.00 in advance for dinner and show OR $20.00 for the show only. Same Day show tickets will be available
TICKETS: Checks/cash can be mailed (to Mark Nassar) or dropped off at the address above, or PAY PAL payments can be made to "blueman@teleport.com." Pay Pal payments must add $1.00/ticket service charge.

CONTACT INFORMATION: Marc Nassar 503-378-7704 blueman@teleport.com
BETTY SOO’s website: http://www.bettysoo.com
BETTY SOO’s music: http://bettysoo.bandcamp.com
SALEM HOUSE CONCERT WEBSITE: http://home.teleport.com/~blueman

The gourmet buffet will be available to advance ticket buyers, and to others if we have any left!!

Help Kickstart Community-Powered Radio in Salem (KMUZ)!

People-powered radio. Help make it happen!

Hark! Community Radio Stirring in Salem! (KMUZ)

Image by Foxtrot74 via Flickr

Progress is happening! Head on over and register to stay informed about what's happening @ KMUZ

Cross your fingers for KMUZ grant application!

Salem very much needs a nonprofit community radio station, and the good people behind KMUZ (note much-improved new logo!) are trying to ride to the rescue. Cross your fingers (or cross your fingers and get involved to help too) for their grant application to defray construction costs!

KMUZ-FM, the proposed Salem-area community radio station, has submitted a federal grant request as part of its effort to get the station on the air at 88.5 FM.

Proposed community radio station seeks funds from feds

Thirty-four community groups or individuals, including Salem Art Association, A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village and the League of Women Voters, endorsed the request.

If successful, KMUZ would receive a grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Public Telecommunications Facilities Program for $93,000. KMUZ is among hundreds of radio and television stations applying for the grant program. About 50 percent of applicants will succeed; they will be notified in October.

The station has also applied for matching grants from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund and the city of Salem; and it is submitting requests to the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, the Collins Foundation and the Meyer Memorial trust, among others.

The station needs about $200,000 for construction alone, said Jeanine Renne, the grant writer. It also will need to pay rent and utilities.

The station hopes to be on the air by August 2011, serving an area ranging from Albany north to Keizer, and Stayton west to Dallas. The transmitter tower will be in Turner, with a broadcast studio at the Historic Grand Theatre building in downtown Salem.

The station would feature community-generated programming including music, civic events and politics.

Fantastic News - Radio Free Salem (KMUZ)!

Don't know how this slipped past without notice, but Salem's "Radio Free Salem" project has announced that it will get its Low-Power FM license and be able to broadcast community radio in Salem as radio station KMUZ!

The Oregon Cultural Trust has an inquiry about whether gifts to KMUZ will qualify for the OCT tax credit deal (see prior post) -- they certainly should!